How to select the correct electricity utility/tariff

Summary

Not sure which electricity tariff to use for your project? OpenSolar helps you easily select or customize utility rates to ensure accurate modeling of both historical and future bill savings. This guide walks you through reviewing, selecting, and creating tariffs within the Energy tab of your project.

Before You Begin:

1. Navigate to the Projects zone.
2. Click into the specific project you'd like to edit.

Understanding the Electricity Utility Section:

Once inside your project:

1. Click on the Energy tab at the top of the page.
2. Scroll to the Electricity Utility section at the bottom.

You’ll find two key fields:

• Current Tariff: Used to analyze past electricity bills.
• Proposed Rate (optional): Used to model future bill savings post-solar installation.

 If no proposed rate is selected, OpenSolar will default to using the current tariff for all savings calculations.

 Reviewing and Selecting a Tariff:

OpenSolar automatically applies a utility rate based on the project’s ZIP code.

• To view the current tariff details, click on its name.
• If the rate is incorrect or not optimal, click the "Select Tariff" button to browse OpenSolar’s extensive database of utility rates.

Can’t Find the Right Rate?

If your desired utility rate isn’t available:

• Submit a request with the rate schedule.
• OpenSolar’s support team will add the rate to the database for you.

Creating a Custom Tariff:

If you want full control over tariff settings, you have two options:

Create a Full Custom Tariff:

To create a custom electricity tariff:

• Navigate to Control > Other > Utility Tariff.
• Click + Add Utility Tariff.
• Complete the required fields, including:
  • Tariff Name
  • Utility Provider (optional)
  • Tariff Type (Residential, Commercial, etc.)
  • Compensation Mechanism
• Set the Rate Structures:
  • Flat Rate
  • Time-of-Use (TOU) Rates
  • Tiered Rates
  • Demand Charges (if applicable)
• Input any additional charges (e.g., fixed charges, minimum charges).
• Click Save to finalize your custom tariff.

You can review a step-by-step process here. 

Create a Simple Flat Rate:

Within the energy tab, you can click the Simple Flat Rate feature for a basic, easy-to-configure custom rate.

Final Step: Save

After configuring your tariff:

• Click the “Save” button to apply the changes to your project.