Frequently Asked Questions
Our Answers
What is the goal of King Energy?
King Energy’s mission is to provide financially viable solar and storage solutions to all commercial and industrial properties in North America, in a way that increases financial value and sustainability benefit to property owners and their tenants.
How does the King Energy model work?
King Energy delivers a no-cost turnkey solar solution, handling all investment, installation and ongoing maintenance. We pay rent to the property owner and offer discounted energy to tenants, so everyone benefits financially without capital investment.
What makes King Energy different?
King Energy is different from other solution providers in two ways: Our software and our project financing relationships.
Our software, OneBill™, allows us to elegantly manage a complex multi-tenant program, and provide a highly usable billing experience to all participants.
Our project financing solutions allow us to deploy programs at no cost to the property owner, and also allow us to structure the program in a way that does not require long-term commitments from participating tenants (unlike traditional power purchasing agreements).
Where does King Energy support projects?
King Energy is dedicated to supporting projects in all 50 US states.
Our software integrations currently support programs in 9 states, and we are perpetually adding new markets.
As a property owner, why should I care?
Adopting renewable energy is a high priority to a growing portion of tenants and consumers. Providing renewable energy to your tenants makes your building more attractive.
How should I think about the sustainability benefit to my property?
By installing solar, you are generating clean, renewable energy on site. King Energy will provide metrics on this renewable energy source that you can use for both marketing and investor relations purposes.
What is the impact on my roof?
On flat roofs, current solar racking technology allows solar panels to be installed with minimal penetrations and a low impact on the roof. Existing roof warranties will not be affected. In many cases solar panels can significantly increase the lifespan of a roof and reduce building temperature by providing coverage from the elements and lessening direct sunlight.
What happens if the roof leaks?
Extensive market analysis has shown that installing solar does not increase the likelihood of roof leaks.
If, in the normal course of the roof’s lifespan, it starts to leak, roofing contractors are adept at managing repairs around existing solar systems.
What happens if I sell the building?
Our expectation is that the presence of the solar program, and its long-term lease will increase the value of the property, increasing the resale value.
When you sell the property, our leases transfer to the new owner, just like the leases of any other tenant.
What happens if I need to replace the roof entirely?
We expect this to take place once during the lifetime of most solar program. When it’s time to replace the roof, we will temporarily remove the solar program while the roof is being replaced, as part of our standard lease.
How do I incorporate a solar program into my ESG reporting?
King Energy’s OneBill™ software platform is designed to integrate seamlessly with common ESG reporting solutions such as ENERGY STAR and Measurabl.
We also meet quarterly with our clients to share the financial and sustainability results of the program.
What if I have a new tenant that needs to add venting or an HVAC unit?
Our program allows for our solar panel locations to be adjusted to accommodate the needs of other tenants on the property.
What will my tenants think?
They’ll like it! Solar energy is a benefit you are offering them at no cost to you (or to them). They get clean energy and a lower electric bill.
What if I need to redevelop the building?
We know that it is hard to predict how a property will be used in 15 to 20 years, so we provide flexibility to support redevelopment in the later portion of our standard lease term.
How is a tenant’s energy usage tracked?
King Energy’s software, OneBill™, tracks energy consumption by tenants. We provide web-based and paper statements that clearly show energy used from the solar program and from the power grid, as well as the savings generated from using solar energy.
What is OneBill™?
OneBill™ is King Energy’s proprietary software that allows us to handle energy tracking and billing across many tenants.
OneBill™ provides tenants with a simple, easy to understand, monthly bill that depicts the usage and cost of energy from both the solar program and the local utility.
OneBill™ also manages battery utilization and can connect a solar and storage program to the broader power grid.
Does King Energy deploy both solar and battery solutions?
King Energy does solar only implementations and solar paired with battery storage. Our software platform, OneBill™, is designed to optimize the offtake and financial benefit of a battery.
Why has no one else done this?
Multi-tenant commercial solar programs are complex.
Without the right software solution and project financing relationships, a solution like King Energy’s is not possible.
Is this program something that my lenders will approve?
Yes, we consistently receive approval from commercial lenders for our program, because it increases the long term income of the property. Additionally, we are happy to sign a subordination agreement, making it clear to the lender that we will not impact their relationship to the property.
What types of properties are a fit for King Energy?
Commercial and industrial properties with five or more tenants and at least 20,000 square feet of available roof space are a good fit for our program.