THE SHORT ANSWER
A useful commercial review begins with the legal decision maker, the included meter, authorized usage data, roof rights and a clear approval path. System size comes after those boundaries are documented.
Identify authority and the project boundary
Name the property owner, tenant, utility account holder and person authorized to approve work. Record which roof area and meter are included. A tenant bill does not establish roof rights, and a landlord’s interest does not establish access to customer usage data.
Describe how the business uses electricity
Provide authorized bills or interval data, operating hours, seasonal changes and planned equipment. Ask how the design responds to daytime use, exports, demand-related charges and multiple meters instead of applying a residential offset shortcut.
Put roof and permit records in the same packet
Cincinnati’s checklist covers both residential and non-residential PV submittals within city jurisdiction. [1] Collect roof history, access restrictions and any planned reroof. Name the people responsible for engineering, permit corrections and business disruption planning.
Make financial assumptions reviewable
Separate installed price, financing obligations and tax assumptions. The business’s advisers should assess eligibility and accounting treatment. Origin’s commercial team can use the decision packet to identify the next property-specific review without promising approval, incentives or savings.
Before your next conversation
- Name the owner, account holder and approval contact.
- Define the included building area and meter.
- Provide authorized usage data and operating hours.
- Gather roof and access records.
- Separate installed price from tax and finance assumptions.
Primary sources
- City of Cincinnati: Solar Photovoltaic Installations Checklist
Checked October 1, 2026. The checklist identifies minimum plan information for residential and commercial PV permit applications within city jurisdiction.
- City of Cincinnati: Solar + Clean Energy
Checked October 1, 2026. The city explains Duke Energy net metering at a high level. The current utility tariff and the customer’s supplier arrangement must be verified for the actual account.
Planning examples and questions are Origin’s editorial guidance, not a property-specific diagnosis, engineering design, tax determination or promise of savings. Manufacturer and utility references do not imply an affiliation with Origin.
Make the decision specific to your business.
Start a Cincinnati commercial inquiry with the company, property relationship and utility records. Origin will confirm the next review step.
Request a project quote →Scope, pricing and availability are confirmed for your property. A request is not a confirmed appointment.