What this is A plain-language explanation of what your SolarQuant assessment results mean.
Who this is for Private individuals who have run an assessment and want to understand the output.
What you can do - Interpret each metric in the results - Understand what good vs. concerning values look like - Decide on next steps based on results - Compare different scenarios
Your results explained
The summary box
Overall assessment indicator - ✅ Promising: Key metrics meet typical thresholds - ⚠️ Marginal: Some metrics are borderline - ❌ Challenging: Important metrics fall short
This is a quick guide, not a definitive verdict.
Key metrics breakdown
Payback period "How long until my investment pays for itself?"
The number of years until your cumulative savings equal your initial investment.
| Payback | What it means | |---------|---------------| | 12 years | Consider carefully |
Annual savings "How much will I save each year?"
Estimated yearly reduction in your electricity bill.
This depends on: - Your current electricity rate - How much you consume - How much the system generates
Total savings over lifetime "What is the total benefit?"
Cumulative savings over the system lifetime (typically 25 years), minus the initial cost.
A positive number means net benefit. Higher is better.
Simple return "What percentage return is this?"
Your average annual savings as a percentage of initial investment.
| Return | Comparison | |--------|------------| | 15% | Excellent (better than most investments) | | 10-15% | Very good | | 7-10% | Good | | 5-7% | Moderate | | <5% | Below typical investment returns |
Understanding the assumptions
Every result depends on assumptions:
Electricity rate escalation How much rates are expected to increase yearly. - Typical: 2-4% per year - Higher escalation = better returns
System degradation Solar panels produce slightly less each year. - Typical: 0.5% per year - Accounted for in projections
Maintenance costs Occasional cleaning, inspections, inverter replacement. - Typically small but not zero - Included in calculations
Charts and visuals
Cash flow chart Shows money in (savings) vs. money out (costs) over time. - The crossover point is your payback - Area above zero is your profit
Cumulative savings chart Running total of net benefit. - Starts negative (your investment) - Crosses zero at payback - Keeps growing after
Comparing scenarios
You can test different assumptions: - What if electricity rates rise faster? - What if installation costs less? - What if I finance instead of paying cash?
Compare the key metrics between scenarios to see what matters most.
What good results look like
Strong project indicators: - Payback under 8 years - Annual return above 10% - Positive cash flow from year 1 - Total savings significantly exceed cost
Projects that need careful consideration: - Payback over 12 years - Returns below 5% - Negative cash flow for first 5+ years - Small margin between savings and cost
Rules and limits - These are estimates based on your inputs - Actual results will vary - Get professional quotes to verify