Commercial and industrial examples
Four representative project configurations
Each illustration focuses on a different customer decision and shows why the applicable APS rate, interval-load profile, operating pattern, and project configuration must be evaluated together.
Example 1
Commercial Solar
For an E-32 S, E-32 M, or other eligible commercial customer evaluating solar without battery storage.
Illustrative analysis
- Compare the customer’s current and applicable alternative APS rates and determine the most economical rate plan before and after solar
- Evaluate electric cost under Net Energy Metering when the customer’s system is not oversized and remains eligible
- Estimate solar production by billing month and interval
- Measure solar consumed on-site versus exported under the applicable solar rider
- Determine whether solar reduces monthly billing demand
- Estimate pre-solar and post-solar electric cost
Key analytical issue
Solar may substantially reduce delivered energy while producing a smaller demand-charge benefit when the customer’s maximum demand occurs after solar output declines.
Key takeaway: Solar value depends on load timing, self-consumption, exports, demand coincidence, and the most economical applicable rate—not annual production alone.
Example 2
Commercial Solar and Storage
For a time-of-use commercial or industrial customer evaluating whether battery storage adds value beyond solar alone.
Illustrative analysis
- Compare the customer’s current and applicable alternative APS rates and determine the most economical rate plan before and after solar
- Compare solar-only and solar-plus-storage scenarios
- Evaluate electric cost under Net Energy Metering when the customer’s system is not oversized and remains eligible
- Model solar self-consumption, exports, battery charging, and battery discharge
- Evaluate on-peak and off-peak delivered energy
- Measure demand reduction attributable to solar and storage
- Test battery efficiency, duration, reserve requirements, and charging constraints
- Evaluate whether flexible-load measures can improve project performance or reduce the required battery size
Key analytical issue
Storing every exported solar kilowatt-hour may not be economical because the customer gives up the export value, incurs battery losses, and uses finite cycling capability.
Key takeaway: Storage should be judged by its incremental value beyond solar, including demand management, TOU shifting, and increased solar self-consumption.
Example 3
Commercial and Industrial Storage Only
For a larger E-32TOU L, E-35, or other eligible customer evaluating battery storage without solar.
Illustrative analysis
- Identify intervals that establish on-peak and off-peak billing demand
- Evaluate applicable demand ratchets, minimums, or agreement provisions
- Determine the battery power and duration needed to control elevated-load intervals
- Prevent battery charging from creating a new billing peak
- Estimate bill impacts under alternative dispatch strategies
- Evaluate whether flexible-load measures can reduce the required battery size or improve dispatch performance
Key analytical issue
The battery must be available during the intervals that actually establish billing demand. Missing a material peak can substantially reduce expected savings.
Key takeaway: Battery nameplate capacity does not automatically translate into demand-charge savings; dispatch reliability, peak duration, and state of charge are decisive.
Example 4
Commercial Flexible Load
For a commercial or industrial customer evaluating operational load shifting or temporary load reduction without relying solely on capital-intensive equipment.
Illustrative analysis
- Identify flexible loads such as HVAC, refrigeration, pumping, process equipment, EV charging, and staggered equipment startup
- Model load shifting and temporary load reduction against actual 15-minute interval usage
- Evaluate on-peak and off-peak delivered energy and billing demand before and after operational changes
- Test whether shifting load creates a new demand peak in an earlier or later interval
- Compare flexible-load savings with battery-based demand management
- Evaluate whether operational flexibility can reduce the size or duration of a proposed battery
- Determine the most economical applicable APS rate under the revised load profile
Key analytical issue
Moving load does not automatically reduce cost. A shifted load may create a new billing peak, move usage into another high-cost period, or conflict with facility operating requirements.
Key takeaway: Flexible load may reduce demand and time-of-use exposure without the capital cost of battery storage, but the revised operating profile must be tested across the full billing period.
These examples are illustrative and are not based on actual customers, completed APS bill calculations, or guaranteed project results. Customer-specific analysis requires billing history, interval usage, applicable tariff provisions, and proposed solar or storage specifications.