Option One Solar

30% Federal ITC + Bonus Depreciation

Family-owned since 1970

Turn your utility bill into
a tax-advantaged asset.

Commercial solar in 2026 stacks the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit, Bonus Depreciation, and 5-year MACRS — combined effective benefit typically north of 50% of system cost. We design rooftop arrays, parking-lot carports, and ground-mount systems sized to your business load.

Get My Commercial Energy Assessment → Or call (855) 502-6363
Family-Owned
NABCEP Certified
25-Yr Warranty
1,000+ Installs

Free Commercial Energy Assessment

We'll model your tax-incentive stack and design a system sized for your actual load. Custom design within 1 business day.

By submitting, you agree to be contacted by Option One Solar at the phone or email above. No spam, no third-party sharing. Privacy.

Why now — and why this matters for the bottom line

California commercial electricity rates have outpaced inflation for years. SCE confirmed a roughly 13% rate increase in October 2025, with continued increases forecast through 2026 and beyond. For a business spending $5,000+/month on power, that's tens of thousands of dollars per year that flows straight to the utility, not to your P&L.

Solar locks in your electricity rate for 25 years. Combined with the current federal incentive stack — which is on the favorable side of a multi-year step-down — most SoCal businesses see 3–6 year payback on commercial solar, sometimes faster with the full incentive package applied.

We've designed commercial systems for the High Desert, Inland Empire, and North County for over 50 years. We bring spreadsheets — not closers.

The federal incentive stack

Three programs you can layer on the same commercial install. We model your specific tax position with your CPA — these are the levers most businesses use.

30%

Investment Tax Credit (ITC)

A direct federal tax credit equal to 30% of total system cost — applied against your federal tax liability the year you place the system in service. Carryback / carryforward provisions apply.

+ Bonus

Bonus Depreciation

Under Section 168(k), a percentage of the depreciable basis (system cost reduced by 50% of the ITC) can be deducted in year one. The federal schedule has been stepping down annually — we'll confirm the current year's bonus % during your assessment.

5-yr

MACRS Accelerated

Solar qualifies for 5-year MACRS accelerated depreciation on whatever basis remains after bonus. Most commercial buyers fully depreciate the system within 6 tax years.

Combined effective benefit: for many businesses, the ITC + bonus depreciation + 5-yr MACRS stack covers 50%+ of total system cost in tax-equivalent value over the first 6 years. Section 179 expensing is available as an alternative for smaller systems. Your CPA will know which structure is best for your tax position — we'll work directly with them on the modeling.

Two commercial install types — designed to your site

Option One Solar commercial rooftop array installation

Rooftop Arrays

The most common commercial install — uses dead roof space, no impact on parking or operations. Best for warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing, retail, and offices with adequate roof structural capacity. We engineer for your roof type and structural load.

Option One Solar commercial parking lot solar carport installation

Parking-Lot Carports

Turn parking into revenue. Carports generate power AND give your customers and employees shaded parking — a real customer-experience benefit. Ideal for retail, hospitality, healthcare, and any business with significant surface parking. EV-charging integration available.

Storage matters more for commercial than residential

Commercial utility bills include demand charges — based on your peak 15-minute kW draw in a billing period — that often exceed the energy charge itself. Solar alone reduces energy use, but battery storage discharges during your peak intervals to cap demand spikes. The combined effect on your monthly bill is often dramatic.

We pair commercial solar with Tesla Powerwall 3 for smaller sites (offices, retail, restaurants) or commercial-scale battery systems for larger loads. We're a Tesla Certified Installer, and we model whether storage improves YOUR specific ROI before recommending it.

California's SGIP rebate applies to commercial battery storage and can reduce installed cost meaningfully — we file the paperwork at no additional cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tax incentives can my business stack in 2026?
Three big ones, all stackable: (1) the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) at 30% of total system cost, (2) Bonus Depreciation under Section 168(k) — the schedule has been stepping down annually, but you can still depreciate a meaningful percentage in year one alongside (3) MACRS 5-year accelerated depreciation on the remaining basis. Some businesses also use Section 179 expensing instead of bonus depreciation for smaller systems. The combined effective tax benefit on a typical commercial install often exceeds 50% of system cost. We work with your CPA to model the right structure.
What's a typical payback period for commercial solar?
For SoCal businesses with $3,000–$25,000+ monthly bills, payback is typically 3 to 6 years cash, sometimes faster with the full tax-incentive stack applied. After payback, the system continues producing for 20+ years of pure savings under a 25-year manufacturer warranty. We'll model your specific payback in our Energy Assessment using your last 12 months of utility bills.
Can a parking lot solar carport actually pay for itself?
Yes — and it does double duty: revenue from the panels (offsetting your own usage or selling power back) plus a real customer/employee benefit from shaded parking. Carports often work especially well for businesses with low roof capacity, large parking footprints, and EV-charging plans. We design carports to match the parking layout and structural loads of your specific site.
Do you handle permitting, utility interconnection, and rebates?
Yes — turnkey. We design the system, pull permits, manage utility interconnection (SCE, SDG&E, or your utility), file any applicable rebates (SGIP for storage, regional incentive programs), and manage commissioning. Your team manages your business; we manage the project.
Do you install commercial battery storage?
Yes. We pair commercial solar with Tesla Powerwall 3 (for smaller commercial — restaurants, small offices, retail) or commercial-scale battery systems for larger sites. Battery is especially valuable in California due to demand charges and Time-of-Use rates — we'll model whether storage improves your specific ROI.
What sizes of commercial systems do you install?
We design and install commercial systems from 25 kW (small office or retail) up through several MW (industrial, agricultural, large carport arrays). Our team has 55+ years in solar across residential and commercial. Recent commercial work spans the High Desert, Inland Empire, and Escondido service areas.

Lock in your rate. Maximize your tax position.

Free commercial Energy Assessment. We'll review your last 12 months of utility bills, your roof or parking layout, and your CPA's tax position — then deliver a custom design within 1 business day.

Free Commercial Energy Assessment

Custom design + tax-incentive model within 1 business day.

By submitting, you agree to be contacted by Option One Solar at the phone or email above. No spam, no third-party sharing. Privacy.

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