Commercial Solar Blog

Learn about solar and discover trends with content written by industry experts.

King Energy Named 2023’s Most Promising Energy Tech Solutions Provider

It’s been a big year of milestones for King Energy. We’ve managed our 100th energy program in California. We've served our 8 millionth square foot of tenant space. We’ve also launched some of our biggest projects to date, pushing 1 MWs at numerous locations. But that’s not all. King Energy has also been recognized as 2023’s most promising energy tech solutions provider by CIOReview. This award highlights our technological innovations in the commercial solar space. In the cover story, CEO John...

Do Solar Panels Work on Cloudy Days?

Solar is pretty complex. We get questions about nearly every aspect of the technology–especially performance and weather. One of the most common ones we get is “do...

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Unlocking the 10% ITC Adder for Energy Communities

Unlocking the 10% ITC Adder for Energy Communities

The Department of Energy recently released guidance on eligibility for a 10% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) adder for geographies that qualify as Energy Communities. This Energy Community benefit is one of three potential adders that were included in the 2022 Inflation...

Do Solar Panels Work on Cloudy Days?

Do Solar Panels Work on Cloudy Days?

Solar is pretty complex. We get questions about nearly every aspect of the technology–especially performance and weather. One of the most common ones we get is “do solar panels work on cloudy days?” If you’re considering bringing solar to your site, these kinds of...

Solving the Split Incentive Problem

Solving the Split Incentive Problem

The landscape of commercial real estate is changing rapidly, and it’s putting new pressures on tenants and owners alike. Utility energy rates are seeing massive upticks. Companies are adopting new ESG commitments. Up-and-coming sustainability trends are reshaping the...

The Green Lease: Future-Proofing CRE

The Green Lease: Future-Proofing CRE

It’s no surprise that the world is becoming more environmentally conscious. Society is taking note of carbon footprints and eco-friendly practices, and it’s having a steady impact on our home and work lives. Unsurprisingly, this has led to the rise of numerous...

21 Questions to Ask a Solar Company

21 Questions to Ask a Solar Company

If you look around, there’s clearly a growing demand for commercial solar. It’s not just for industrial warehouses and big box stores anymore. Everything from shopping centers to office buildings are getting in on the action, using onsite solar to lower tenant energy...

Comparing Your Commercial Solar Financing Options

Comparing Your Commercial Solar Financing Options

With rising utility energy rates and more interest in sustainability in the market, there’s never been a better time to finance commercial solar. These systems are here to stay, offering countless financial and environmental benefits. The biggest challenge for most...

The Facts About Commercial Solar Panel Cleaning

The Facts About Commercial Solar Panel Cleaning

Regular maintenance is key to keeping any investment running smoothly. This is especially true of solar systems, where a routine inspection and cleaning keeps panels generating more energy. If ignored, dust, dirt, and grime tints panels, blocking light and reducing...

Do Solar Panels Increase Property Taxes in California?

Do Solar Panels Increase Property Taxes in California?

There are countless benefits to adding a solar system to your building. But, it can feel almost too easy to get panels on the roof, hook them to the grid, and start generating power. What’s the catch? Some commercial property owners mistakenly believe that increasing...

6 Sustainability Trends in Commercial Real Estate

6 Sustainability Trends in Commercial Real Estate

Commercial real estate is a rapidly-evolving world. From the rise of flexible working spaces to new advances in technology, it can be hard to tell how else CRE could grow. But, sustainability is still a major opportunity for the industry. Commercial buildings use...

Boosting Your Rent Roll with Commercial Solar

Boosting Your Rent Roll with Commercial Solar

You treat your commercial property as an investment, and you want to get the most out of your money by staying up to date. If you’ve recently looked to revamp your amenities, the idea of solar has probably come across your path once or twice. But, one of the cardinal...

What’s a PTO for Solar?

What’s a PTO for Solar?

It’s no secret that there are a number of hoops to jump through before your commercial solar system goes online. Between the applications, inspections, and approvals, it’s a lot to manage, although they are all for good reason. Keeping the solar process organized and...

Ballasted Solar Racking: What You Need to Know

Ballasted Solar Racking: What You Need to Know

If you’re considering solar for your commercial building, it’s safe to assume that you probably have some reservations about your roof. It’s a pretty serious investment that keeps your tenants safe and dry and protects your structure from the elements. The last thing...

Attracting New Tenants with Commercial Solar

Attracting New Tenants with Commercial Solar

Managing vacancy is an unavoidable part of being a property owner or manager. Tenants can move locations or unfortunately close up shop, and it’s always tough to see them go. You develop a relationship with them, and they become a part of your community. Plus, a...

Commercial Roofing, the Customer-Centric Way

Commercial Roofing, the Customer-Centric Way

Much of the excitement for the increasing availability and efficiency of commercial rooftop solar emphasizes the latter half—the solar part. But there is no rooftop solar without the roof, and that’s Bill Pegnato’s specialty. Bill, the CEO of Pegnato Roof Intelligence...

Do Commercial Solar Panels Void My Roof Warranty?

Do Commercial Solar Panels Void My Roof Warranty?

There are plenty of ways to improve your commercial building, but investing in a quality roof is probably one of the most important. It shields your structure from the elements and keeps your tenants dry, so you appreciate having a warranty to keep it safe. Flat roofs...

The Direction and Future of Renewable Electricity

The Direction and Future of Renewable Electricity

The promise of renewable energy sources is that they will improve sustainability—not just for the environment, but for businesses. After all, solar and wind aren’t subject to all the same forces as coal, natural gas, or nuclear fuel sources, and business owners value...

C&I Solar: Most Common Questions Answered

C&I Solar: Most Common Questions Answered

Commercial and industrial (C&I) solar is becoming increasingly more accessible across the United States, as businesses and organizations look for ways to save on rising energy costs and improve their environmental sustainability efforts. Compared to residential...

Modeling a Better Way Forward for Solar Production

Modeling a Better Way Forward for Solar Production

Josh Wirth, founder of Daly Energy, saw a need for a better solar modeling process. His solution is a game-changer for the industry. Similar to financing a commercial building, solar developers estimate the cash flow of their systems and use those estimates for...

The Dirt on Soiling Loss Mitigation in Solar

The Dirt on Soiling Loss Mitigation in Solar

Solar energy is way past proof-of-concept projects; instead, the main industry efforts are financial and practical as we reach into global scale. Investors and companies interested in solar energy are not just motivated by environmental concerns, but also by the...

What’s the Best Roof for Solar?

What’s the Best Roof for Solar?

From the gently sloping roofs of a neighborhood shopping center to enormous sprawling commercial buildings, there are huge differences in roof construction and the material types used. At King Energy, our mission is to transform unused commercial rooftops into...

Entrepreneur Codes Smart Solar Storage  Software Solution

Entrepreneur Codes Smart Solar Storage Software Solution

As solar energy is more universally adopted throughout the nation one enormous issue still remains: energy storage. How do batteries know when to store energy and when to release it? Inherently, solar power is not available 24 hours a day, but humans consume energy...

Solar on Shopping Center Roofs Reduces Strain on Power Grid

Solar on Shopping Center Roofs Reduces Strain on Power Grid

Grid instability is a growing problem across the United States, and solar might be the fix. When we flick on the lights in a room, few of us stop to consider exactly how far that electricity had to travel from its point of origin to reach our wires and outlets. The...

The Scoop on Dirty Solar Panels

The Scoop on Dirty Solar Panels

We often get asked about how we manage solar panels after they are installed and live. As a practical matter, solar panels have no moving parts and are built to sit in the hot sun for decades. So, really, what kind of maintenance is involved? There are no air filters...

How Solar Adds Value to Real Estate Investment Trusts

How Solar Adds Value to Real Estate Investment Trusts

As a commercial property owner, you have a wide range of ways to ensure a successful property. Maybe you’re all about vacancy reductions. Or maybe you're striving to retain the tenants you already have. Perhaps your tenant mix is in a good place and you’re looking to...

Don’t Finance Solar on your Commercial Property

Don’t Finance Solar on your Commercial Property

There’s something comforting about the permanent-yet-impermanent quality of a multi-tenant commercial property. Hosting everything from bubble tea shops and chiropractors to franchise restaurants and dog groomers, these rotating carousels of businesses are a staple in...

Increasing Tenant Satisfaction with Solar

Increasing Tenant Satisfaction with Solar

A commercial property is only as successful as its tenants, so how will a solar program affect the tenant experience? The good news is that with millions of commercial solar installations worldwide, positive tenant experiences are at an all-time high. In fact,...

OneBill™: The Industry’s Leading Consolidated Energy Bill

OneBill™: The Industry’s Leading Consolidated Energy Bill

When you fly into LAX and the plane is skimming over the rooftops of strip malls, office buildings, hospitals, and other large properties, you will notice there is hardly a solar panel in sight. Market trends are showing solar is profitable for property owners and a...

Top 5 Commercial Rooftop Solar Questions

Top 5 Commercial Rooftop Solar Questions

As a commercial property owner, your roof is one of the most important investments you make. So we understand the concern when asked to consider solar. The good news is that solar is a mature industry with infrastructure in place across millions of projects worldwide,...

An Easy Way to Learn the Value of Solar

An Easy Way to Learn the Value of Solar

King Energy’s 90-day analysis process Solar energy can increase the value and income of a shopping center, office building, or industrial park; however, there are some details to figure out before getting started. In order to create a formal solar program plan, King...

How Solar Works on Flat Roofs

How Solar Works on Flat Roofs

Solar is a long-term investment So, how do you ensure that putting solar on the roof of a commercial property does not limit future leasing options for the building? What if a new tenant wants to move in ten years from now, and has unique venting or HVAC requirements?...

Sharing Solar Across Many Businesses

Sharing Solar Across Many Businesses

How multiple businesses can benefit from a single solar program Let’s say you own a business in a shopping center or office building. You are likely leasing the space and pay your own energy bill. Since you don’t own the building or control what goes on the roof, is...

Why Don’t Shopping Centers Have Solar Panels?

Why Don’t Shopping Centers Have Solar Panels?

Have you noticed that most shopping centers don’t have solar panels? Less than 10% of US shopping centers have solar in any form. For those that do, the panel installation is typically driven by a specific, progressive business that resides in the center, such as...