June 14, 2023

The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 5: The Escape

After almost being shot by a crime syndicate enforcer, Charlie and Mazz go to confront Richard Prout about who really owns the utility solar project. But Richard won’t talk. Worse, he attempts a daring escape that frustrates the hell out of Mazz and Charlie and attempts to split them apart.

True Solar Takeaways

  • Brownfields and landfills are ideal locations for utility solar projects because they're near grid infrastructure. 
  • Brownfields and landfills are also ideal because they typically qualify for a bonus 10%  investment tax credit (ITC.) The standard solar investment tax credit is 30%.
  • Ownership of a solar project is complicated. Often, the solar project developer is leasing the land from a landowner, but sometimes the land is bought. Also, as with many corporations, a solar project can have numerous investors who collect revenue from the solar power generated and sold to a utility, plus benefit from tax credits and other tax incentives.
  • This story is fiction, but there has been at least one incident of the Italian mafia owning solar projects.