Solar Development 101 follows a project from an idea and a piece of land to a construction-ready asset. Development is where most of a project’s value is created and where most projects die, and this course covers both — the milestones that have to be hit in order, and the fatal flaws that kill a deal if they surface too late.
What you will learn
- Where developers sit in the project lifecycle, and how development differs from EPC and ownership.
- The major project types — ground mount, rooftop, carport, floating, community, utility-scale — and how behind-the-meter differs from front-of-the-meter.
- Where project revenue actually comes from: tariffs, solar offset, RECs and incentives.
- How development budgets are built for rooftop and ground-mount projects, and how CAPEX is estimated early.
- Why site control is the gating milestone, and how ground and rooftop leases are structured.
- How interconnection risk is assessed and what utility upgrades typically cost.
- Technical, structural, environmental and electrical diligence — and fatal flaw analysis.
- Zoning, ordinances and moratoriums, and how permitting shapes the schedule.
- What a clean handoff to construction looks like.
Course outline — 58 lessons
- What Developers Actually Do
- Life Cycle of a Commercial Solar Project
- Project Lifecycle and the Mounting Decision
- Development Milestone Stages
- Key Stakeholders in Solar Development
- Development vs EPC vs Ownership
- How Solar Market Segments Fit Together
- Rooftop Solar
- Ground-Mount Solar
- Carport Solar
- Floating Solar
- Community Solar
- Site Control and Exclusivity
- Landowner Outreach
- Development Timelines
- Development Timelines vs Site Control
- Rooftop Lease Overview
- Roof Access for Solar Development
- Structural Considerations for Rooftop Solar
- Removal and Decommissioning Obligations
- Ground Leases for Solar Development
- Licenses and Easements
- Title Considerations in Solar Development
- Why Interconnection Matters
- Interconnection: Why Good Projects Stall
- Utility Review Process
- Common Utility Upgrade Risks
- Managing Interconnection Risks
- Interconnection Guide
- Utility Tariffs
- Net Metering Basics
- Determining Solar Offset
- REC Revenue
- Revenue Drivers
- Incentives and Tax Credits
- Technical Diligence for Rooftop Solar
- Technical Diligence for Ground-Mount Solar
- Basics of Structural Reviews
- Electrical Feasibility Overview
- Impacts of Shading
- Production Modeling Basics
- Basics of Technical Design
- Environmental Constraints Overview
- Rooftop Permitting Overview
- Ground-Mount Permitting Overview
- Zoning, Ordinances, and Moratoriums
- Site Access Concerns
- Fatal Flaw Analysis
- Development Budgeting
- CAPEX Overview
- Managing Development Risk
- Managing Risk and Schedule
- Why Projects Fail or Succeed Financially
- Importance of Handoff to Construction
- From Development to NTP: The Readiness Handoff
- Construction Handoff Checklist
- Project Development Careers
- Project Development Skillsets
Who this course is for
People moving into development from adjacent roles — sales, engineering, finance, construction — who need the whole picture rather than their slice of it. Analysts supporting a development team. Landowners, municipal staff and investors who need to understand what a developer is actually doing and on what timeline.
What you need to know first
None. The course assumes no prior solar experience, though Solar 101 is useful if you want the underlying technology first.
What comes next
Development touches every other discipline. Solar Legal 101 covers the agreements referenced throughout, Project Finance 101 the economics behind the budgets, and Solar Construction 101 picks up where the development handoff ends.
The course is free. Create an account to start.