The project works when conservative energy savings can support the loan and operating risks. Keep loan economics, subsidy assumptions, guarantee coverage and vendor performance as separate lines.
Three facts to pin down
For this case, the answer can change when actual electricity consumption and tariff, conservative generation estimate for the roof, loan rate, tenure, fees and borrower contribution. Run the project without optimistic incentives first. If the base case works, verified benefits improve it; if not, the finance structure is too fragile.
Actual electricity consumption and tariff.
Conservative generation estimate for the roof.
Loan rate, tenure, fees and borrower contribution.
Documents that settle the argument
Keep 12 months of electricity bills, site survey and system design, vendor quotation, loan and guarantee scheme terms in one folder for this case. Name files with dates and retain original PDFs where possible.
| Record | Use it to verify | Why keep it |
|---|---|---|
| 12 months of electricity bills | Actual electricity consumption and tariff | Creates a dated record another reviewer can verify. |
| Site survey and system design | Conservative generation estimate for the roof | Lets you challenge the exact field, charge, date or obligation. |
| Vendor quotation | Loan rate, tenure, fees and borrower contribution | Protects the decision if a portal, account screen or verbal explanation changes. |
| Loan and guarantee scheme terms | Actual electricity consumption and tariff | Separates a written fact from a sales statement. |
A cleaner sequence
- Pin down the first controlling fact: actual electricity consumption and tariff.
- Reconcile it against 12 months of electricity bills and site survey and system design.
- Test the decision under one realistic adverse case instead of assuming the best outcome.
- Record dates, reference numbers and the institution responsible for the next step.
- Escalate only the unresolved point; do not restart the case with a vague complaint.
Failure signals
Pause before the next irreversible step if payback depends entirely on an unapproved subsidy, generation estimate ignores shading or downtime, guarantee coverage is described as insurance for the borrower.
- Payback depends entirely on an unapproved subsidy.
- Generation estimate ignores shading or downtime.
- Guarantee coverage is described as insurance for the borrower.
The rule I would use
Run the project without optimistic incentives first. If the base case works, verified benefits improve it; if not, the finance structure is too fragile.