What to send before you ask for a solar quote.
A quotation is only as good as the brief behind it. This is the shortlist that turns “how much for a 200 kW system?” into a sized bill of materials you can actually compare against other offers.
What do you need from me to quote a commercial solar system?
Send your electricity bills, your generator size and the hours it runs, the list of loads that must stay on during an outage, the roof or ground area you have, and the destination port. That is enough for us to name the architecture, size the array and the battery, and return a bill of materials with a delivery schedule.
Anything on that list you do not have yet can follow during engineering review. What we cannot do is quote a serious number from a kilowatt rating alone — two sites with the same 200 kW of load need different systems once their tariff, outage pattern and critical loads are on the table.
Nine things, and what happens without each one.
Send what you have. The right-hand column is the honest cost of skipping an item.
| What to send | Why it matters | If you skip it |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity bills, 12 months if possible | The bill shows the load curve we are trying to displace — daytime draw, evening peak, and how much of the bill is energy versus fixed charges | We can only offer a reference configuration, not a sized one |
| Generator size and running hours | Hours on diesel are the single best proxy for what the grid is not delivering | The battery cannot be sized, because the hours to remove are unknown |
| Critical load list, and for how long | Decides kilowatts and kilowatt-hours of storage separately — they are different questions | You get a system sized for the whole site, which is usually over-specified |
| Roof or ground area, with photos | Sets the maximum array before anything else, and shows shading and access | Array size is a guess, and the guess is usually optimistic |
| Site location and destination port | Drives shipping, packaging, wind and structural assumptions, and the mounting specification | No delivery schedule and no freight basis |
| Grid voltage and current supply arrangement | Fixes the inverter and protection specification | The bill of materials may not match your existing switchboard |
| Operating hours or shift pattern | Sets the self-consumption ratio, which decides whether a battery pays at all | The economics cannot be modelled |
| Existing electrical drawings, if you have them | Lets our engineers flag interface problems before production, not after delivery | Interface issues surface during installation |
| Budget range, if there is one | Lets us propose a phased build instead of an all-or-nothing system | You get one configuration rather than a staged path |
What a complete reply contains.
Not a price on its own. A price without the following is not comparable.
| Deliverable | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| System architecture | Grid-tied, hybrid with storage, or a phased build — and the reason for that choice |
| Sized bill of materials | Modules, inverter, battery, controller, cabling and protection, with quantities |
| Capacity basis | Daily generation, self-consumed share and the assumptions behind both |
| What is included | Equipment, factory testing, packing and freight to the named port |
| What is not included | Local installation, local permits, grid connection fees and any site works — stated explicitly, not buried |
| Delivery schedule | Dates against each step of the delivery process |
We supply and engineer the system. Installation and after-sales are carried out by your local EPC contractor or installer, with our engineering support behind them — which is why the proposal separates our scope from yours in writing.
How long the whole thing takes.
End to end, 4–12 weeks. Every unit completes a 72-hour test before it ships.
| Step | What happens | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement definition | We read your brief and agree what the system has to do | 1–3 days |
| System design | Architecture, bill of materials and drawings | 1–2 weeks |
| Production | Build and assembly, including battery and control cabinet | 1–3 weeks |
| Testing | Every unit runs a 72-hour test before release | 72 hours |
| Shipping & installation | Packed and shipped; installed by your local EPC or installer | 2–6 weeks |
Frequently asked questions
Can you quote from a kilowatt rating alone?
We can quote a reference configuration, but not a serious number. Two sites with the same kilowatt rating need different systems once their tariff, outage pattern and critical loads are known. That is what the brief is for.
What is the minimum I can send and still get something useful?
Your most recent electricity bill, the generator size and roughly how many hours a week it runs, and a short list of what has to stay on during an outage. That is enough to name the architecture and the order of magnitude.
Do I need a full 12 months of bills?
Twelve months is better because it shows seasonality, but a recent month is enough to start. The design is reviewed again once the fuller picture arrives.
Is installation included in the price?
No. We supply and engineer the system; installation and after-sales are carried out by your local EPC contractor or installer, with our engineering support behind them. The proposal states our scope and yours separately so there is no ambiguity at commissioning.
How do I compare your quote against a local one?
Compare like with like: check that both quotes list the same components with the same quantities, state what is included and excluded, and give dates against each delivery step. A quote without those three things cannot be compared to anything.
What happens to the information I send?
It is used to engineer your system and to prepare the proposal. It is not used for anything else, and it is not shared outside the engineering team working on your project.
Send what you already have.
Start with the bills and the generator hours. We will tell you what else is needed, and what we can already conclude from what you sent.
Send your project brief