Compare solar installers by approach not just price
- Gary Carter
- Jun 25
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 30
Why comparing solar installers is more than just a price comparison
If you’re a business considering renewable energy, you’ll soon find yourself comparing solar installers. It’s natural to look at price per kWh, system size, or even estimated payback periods.
But here’s the issue: if every proposal is built around the same assumptions, the differences won’t show up on the surface and the real ROI differences won’t show up until it’s too late.
To get the right solar partner, you need to compare how they think, not just what they quote.
What most businesses miss when they compare solar installers
On paper, two solar proposals might look identical. But behind the scenes, their approaches may be miles apart.
Let’s look at what actually matters:
1. Are they install-first or strategy-first?
Many installers focus on delivering a technical project. That’s great for ticking boxes, but it rarely delivers the best business case.
A strategy-led approach starts with your business goals such as reducing operating costs, improving resilience, or delivering sustainability ROI and designs the solution backwards from there.
2. Do they consider funding structures?
Most installers quote on a capex basis. If you can’t fund it yourself, they’re out. A smarter partner helps you structure the project with asset finance or PPA, meaning the solution can pay for itself.
3. Do they optimise for your site, or for install speed?
Many proposals are designed to be easy to install or maximise installer profits, not necessarily to generate the maximum savings possible for you. Orientation, shading, demand profile, and future growth all affect design.
4. Are they part of your team, or just a supplier?
Do they bring insight to your CFO or operations team? Do they talk the same way or are they quoting a technical spec and moving on?
What to ask when comparing solar installer approaches
Here are some questions to reveal how your potential installer thinks:
What assumptions did you use when designing this system?
How did you model ROI or payback, or did you?
What funding options can you provide?
Can you optimise for long-term energy cost reduction, not just system size?
How will you ensure this project supports our financial and operational goals?
The Optify approach: strategy first
At Optify, we act as the commercial lead on your renewable energy journey. We don’t install panels, we optimise outcomes. That means:
We assess your site, usage, and goals first
We design a solution that pays for itself
We select the right installer for you
We coordinate the delivery and funding so your team stays focused on running the business
We’ve seen this approach deliver up to 30% more in lifetime savings than a traditional install-led method.
Final word
Choosing renewable energy for your business is a great move. Choosing the right approach to progressing the project can make it a winning move with best in class lifetime benefits.
If you’re looking to compare solar installers, start by comparing approaches. You can read our full guide on this here:
Or if you're ready to see what an optimised solution might look like for your business, structured for affordability and maximising lifetime savings, try our feasibility kickstarter tool:
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