Solar PV on municipal buildings: a guide to feasibility and financial analysis

Building scale renewable energy is the most impactful action that cities can take to decarbonise their energy sector, especially with the rapidly falling costs of renewable energy technologies. City governments can move fastest by using their own underutilised rooftop space to generate electricity with solar PVs. Not only is this a cost-efficient way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, but it can also reduce municipal reduce energy costs and generate financial returns. Municipal solar projects are also critical to grow local markets and build capacity, create high-quality jobs and educate residents about the benefits and functioning of solar PVs.

This step-by-step guide and Excel-based municipal solar financial analysis tool can help city staff to carry out the high-level feasibility and financial analysis needed to plan municipal solar PV projects. The guide and tool focus on methods for quantifying solar PV capacity and generation potential that can be carried out using publicly available tools and information.