Rooftop solar for your factory: a funding checklist

Mohammad Manzoorul Islam
Founder & Principal Consultant, Mahdiya · November 2026

Rooftop solar can lower electricity costs and help factories meet the expectations of international buyers and investors. Yet many promising projects stall at the funding stage — not because the idea is weak, but because the information lenders and partners need is not ready. Here is a practical checklist.

1. Know your energy use

Collect at least twelve months of electricity bills and, if you have one, generator fuel records. Note your daytime load, because solar produces power during the day. This is the foundation of every savings calculation.

2. Check the roof

Lenders and EPC contractors will ask about usable roof area, the roof’s age and condition, its load-bearing capacity and any shading. A structural assessment early on avoids surprises later.

3. Confirm ownership and permissions

Have documents showing you own or have long-term rights to the building. Find out early which approvals and grid-connection steps apply to your site, and who in your team will handle them.

4. Build a clear business case

Show the expected system size, cost, annual generation, savings and payback period, with conservative assumptions. A simple, honest model is more convincing than an optimistic one.

5. Choose the right funding model

Options usually include paying upfront, a bank or green loan, or a third-party model where a developer owns the system and you pay for the power it produces. Each has different effects on your balance sheet, risk and savings. Compare them side by side.

6. Select a reliable partner

Ask EPC contractors for references, warranties on panels and inverters, and a clear operation and maintenance plan. Lenders look closely at who will build and maintain the system.

7. Prepare your company documents

Recent financial statements, trade license, tax documents and details of existing loans are standard requests. Having them ready can save weeks.

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