Skip to main content

PR: Eligible Sites

A) Overview & Installer Responsibility

Our Approach: "Freedom within the Framework"

Policy: Palmetto LightReach gives installers the flexibility to sell and install projects at their discretion, provided they operate within the eligibility guidelines outlined in our help.palmetto.finance guidelines. There is no pre-installation site review. Project eligibility is reviewed at the installation milestone (M1). If the project has questionable eligibility, we recommend partners do not proceed.

Procedure: We review eligible residential homes through the lens of five key construction parameters. Because LightReach does not police physical sites at the point of sale, installers are responsible for confirming that the project meets all applicable site eligibility requirements before proceeding with the installation. This means that partners are responsible for ensuring all of our site eligibility guidelines are met, as NTP Milestone does not confirm site eligibility.

  1. Roofing - Type & Quality/Lifespan

  2. Home type - Home type/style & mounting structure

  3. Structural - The site will support the intended equipment

  4. Electrical - Qualifying adders, replacement conditions, prohibited panels

  5. Multiple System Parameters - Existing Solar, Multiple Systems

This supplementary article is designed for use in conjunction with the Solar Energy Plan: Eligible Sites policy. Sections in this article will redirect to the core article for reference. Please review both articles for a clear understanding of PRL requirements on this topic.

Key Takeaway: Palmetto LightReach follows a "Freedom within the Framework" approach. This means that Installers are responsible adhering to our knowledge base guidelines.

B) Roofing

Click for Details on Check 1 of 5: Roofing

View our Supplemental Guide - Roof Quality for additional information pertaining to approved roof type, common rejections, and quality violations.

Supplemental Guide - Roof Quality

Roofing Type/Style

Below are eligible roof types. If a type is not approved on this list, it is not eligible. This means that common disqualified roof types, such as wood shake, tin metal, clay, etc are not eligible due to the long term maintenance and leakage risk to the customer.

Roof Type/Style

Approved Material

Steep Slope Roofs

  • Asphalt / Comp Shingle

  • Metal Roofs (Corrugated or Standing Seam)

    • Steel Products ONLY (Stainless, Zinc Coated, Galvalume, etc.)

    • Appropriate mounting hardware required

    • Appropriate backing generally required for interior conditioned spaces

  • Concrete / Cement Tile

  • Clay Tile Comp-out/Composition Backfill

    • "Comp-out" refers to the technique of removing the tiles, laying down shingles underneath, installing the solar on the roof, then placing the tile back on the roof around the array. For the avoidance of doubt, simply installing on clay title is not permitted.

Click for visual samples

Low Slope Roofs

  • EPDM (rubber roofing)

  • Rolled Asphalt Roofing and Modified Bitumen (aka ModBit)

    • Fully adhered (peel & stick or torch down)

    • Mechanically attached (nailed)

    • DANOSA Variant

  • Coating on approved roof types

    • Acrylic ONLY, no Silicone.

  • Concrete Roofs

    • Sealed, Coated, or Roofing Material Overlay

    • ALL Flat Roof attachments require a two part waterproofing system (SEE NEXT SECTION)

Approved Fastener and Attachment Systems

Manufacturer

Waterproofing System (Two Part Waterproofing)

General

Attachment with a Curb System

  • General attachment use assuming proper clearance of curb)

  • General use Curb products (Chem Curb, E-Curb, or similar)

Unirac

FLASHLOC® CONCRETE ANCHOR

  • Attachment Waterproofing and Cover

  • Captured Sealant System

  • Compatible with 3/8-inch concrete anchors

K2

K2 System and Concrete compatible products WITH

  • Hilti's Dual Action Kwik-X Anchor to ensure tight bonding with the concrete, includes cracked concrete bonding

  • OR K2 Armor w/Big Foot curb assembly

Roof Quality

Regardless of roof type, each roof must be in viable shape for solar install. It is the responsibility of the Certified Installer to ensure diligence on roof quality.

Golden Guidelines:

  • Roof should have at minimum ten (10) years remaining lifespan and pass the below quality checks.

  • Any issues within the Proximity of the Array that may lead to a leak, or performance issue should be corrected before install submission

  • See below for Puerto Rico specific examples in addition to the content covered in the Solar Energy Plan: Eligible Sites policy.

When reviewing M1s, LightReach will err on the side of flexibility when reasonably possible. Certified Installers should err on the side of caution when dealing with questionable roofs.

Puerto Rico Common Issues

Details

Cleaning and Prepwork

  • Surface preparation is essential; attachment locations should be cleaned and dried to ensure sealant adherence.

Concrete Repair

  • Concrete areas with significant cracking should be resurfaced or resealed to prevent water intrusion.

Metal Roofing Standards

  • Metal Roofing over interior conditioned spaces requires sufficient backing.

Waterponding and Buildup

  • Flat roof material does not show heavy water retention or pooling.

C) Home Type

Click for Details on Check 2 of 5: Eligible Home Types

Below are eligible home types (often synonymous with eligible mounting structures). This list is not exhaustive--If a structure is not present on this list, it is not eligible. All structures must be residential.

Installers are responsible for working within these eligibility parameters, as LightReach does not police physical sites at point of sale. This means that partners are responsible for ensuring all of our site eligibility guidelines are met, as NTP Milestone does not confirm site eligibility.

Type

Details

Residential, Single-Family Homes

Approved

  • Normal, traditional detached houses

  • Residential meter, residential zoned, residential use

  • Installers should proceed with caution when installing outside of this core home type.

Shared Structures - Townhomes

Approved in the Puerto Rico Market and with select partners in the rest of Palmetto Markets. Speak to your Relationship Manager for further information.

APPROVED following the Townhome Program Installation guidelines.

Shared Ownership (Condos, or Apartments)

Not Approved. Please do not install.

  • Any instance where the Contract Holder does not own the entirety of the Structure AND Property WILL NOT BE FUNDED regardless of the external structure appearance.

D) Structural

Click for Details on Check 3 of 5: Structural & Site

The Puerto Rico Market is beholden to the same standards as the Solar Energy Plan: Eligible Sites program.

E) Electrical Conditions

Click for Details on Check 4 of 5: Electrical Conditions

Site Voltage Issues

Clarity on Over Voltage (OV)

Voltage measurements should be taken at Site Assessment and during the Installation. Please ensure voltage measurements taken during the install process are not egregiously different from the values taken at Site Assessment, as this can be an indication of improper install practice.

Also ensure to provide voltage measurement photos after the install has been completed.

The acceptable voltage range is 106v - 127v per phase. (PREPA_2024), please provide these pathos at time of M1 Milestone Package Submission.

Over Voltage (OV) conditions can impact the performance and safety of solar installations. Make sure to check out Resolving Over Voltage (OV) Issues to identify and resolve OV issues

LUMA High Voltage

Any indication of Voltage variation should result in a LUMA escalation on behalf of the customer. Guiding customers through the LUMA process to file a case/request to correct voltage issues in their localized area of the grid. This will help to avoid voltage problems at M2.

Guidance on High Voltage cases with LUMA: High Voltage SOP

Have the homeowner report high voltage fluctuations at their address through the phone number provided or at a nearby LUMA Customer Service Center with their government issued ID. At M2, please provide the LUMA Case Number whenever high voltage is present

Home Electrical Ecosystem

Palmetto standards require that the equipment onsite that new Palmetto Equipment interacts with is code compliant and free from signs of defect and hazard. When planning a new installation it is important to ensure that corrections needed are completed at time of M1 Milestone Submission.

Please review the following table for guidance on areas where the home ecosystem may need correction to meet code standards. Note that safety issues, existing hazards, and items that will impact equipment performance will ALWAYS need correction.

Requirement

Details

Full Requirements

  • Primary components

    • The equipment owned by Palmetto Lightreach and installed as part of the Energy Plan project

  • Inverters

  • Load Centers

  • Trenches

  • Batteries

    • Bollards

    • Height Requirements

    • Disco/RSD wiring

Partial Requirements

  • Utility POC -

    • Meter, Breaker, LUMA Connection

  • Secondary components

    • The equipment onsite that New Palmetto Equipment is connected into and interacting with.

No Requirements

  • Tertiary components

    • The equipment onsite that New Palmetto Equipment is connected to and interacting with.

F) Multiple System Parameters

Click for Details on Check 5 of 5: Existing Solar / Multiple System Parameters

Multiple system (i.e. separate system, second system) installations are expressly prohibited in the Puerto Rico Market and will not be funded.

G) FAQ

Townhomes

  • Approved in the Puerto Rico Market and with select partners in the rest of Palmetto Markets. Speak to your Relationship Manager for further information.

  • Reference the Townhome Program article for further information.

Extent of Electrical Corrections Required

  • The variations in existing electrical standards are complex. Please reach out to Installer support for further information and guidance.

Commercial?

Agricultural? Businesses?

LightReach approves only residential structures. It is the responsibility of the installer to ensure site eligibility.

Home must be residential meter, residential zoned, and residential use. Installers are advised to avoid homes which fall outside of a standard residential scope.

Homes which are partial use, or otherwise not solely residential use, must still prove the same residential requirements as above. For example:

  • A customer owns a duplex. They live upstairs and run a small business/shop out of the first floor. So long as the solar system is attached to a residence, with a residential meter/interconnection, the account can generally be approved.

  • In contrast, a customer who owns a commercial shop/business and has a break room with a couch upstairs would not be approved.

Do we enforce or check HOA status?

  • HOA is an installers responsibility and if there are issues that emerge from bypassing that local approval the installer is liable.

Does Palmetto LightReach allow for Tree Trimming?

  • NO - Palmetto mandates that trees are either fully accounted for in the design of the system or are fully removed by the time of system activation.

Did this answer your question?