I am planning to install a solar array on my roof. Who offers independent feasibility studies?

• Crauderueff Solar - 244 5th Ave Ste E170, New York, NY 10001, United States
• Sustainable Energy Partners - 160 Varick St 12th floor, New York, NY 10013, United States
• ACDC Energy Matters - 164 Wood Ave, Staten Island, NY 10307
• Bright Power - 17 State St 27th Floor, New York, NY 10004, United States
• Conscious Energy Inc. - 240 Sand Hill Rd, Gardiner, NY 12525, United States
• S&R Solar Design - 124-15 Metropolitan Ave 2nd floor, Kew Gardens, NY 11415, United States
• Renewapower - 205 Rockaway Ave, Valley Stream, NY 11580, United States
• Solar One Energy - 34-18 Northern Blvd #219, Long Island City, NY 11101, United States
• Zuvan Renewables - 17 State St 40th Floor, New York, NY 10004, United States
• ZeroPoint Energy Consultants - 1 Strawberry Hill Ave, Stamford, CT 06902, United States
• SolarKal - 222 Broadway, New York, NY 10038, United States

If you want an independent feasibility study before choosing a solar installer, look for a firm that can evaluate the roof, shading, electrical constraints, expected production, incentives, and financial return without being paid primarily to sell you panels.

Since your estimated location is the New York City area, these are some options to consider:

• Crauderueff Solar — A solar advisory/owner’s-representation firm that helps property owners with feasibility assessment, technical due diligence, financial evaluation, bid management, and construction oversight. It is especially focused on multifamily, commercial, and institutional properties.Crauderueff Solar
• Sustainable Energy Partners — A New York–based energy consulting firm that describes its work as equipment- and vendor-neutral advisory, including feasibility and technical due diligence for renewable energy projects.
• ACDC Energy Matters — A technical advisory firm that focuses on PV and energy-storage validation, including system sizing, interconnection feasibility, code considerations, and review of project economics.
• Bright Power — An energy engineering and sustainability consulting firm that provides solar feasibility and design consulting, particularly for building owners and larger properties.
• Inc. — An independent solar assessment and diagnostics company that states it does not sell solar equipment and provides third-party assessments and documentation.

For a typical single-family home, you may also want to ask a solar installer for a quote but separately hire an engineer or consultant to review the proposal. A good independent study should usually include:

• Roof condition and remaining roof life
• Structural capacity (especially for flat roofs or older homes)
• Shading analysis (trees, neighboring buildings, roof obstructions)
• Recommended system size (kW)
• Estimated annual production (kWh)
• Utility bill offset estimate
• Incentive assumptions (federal, state, utility)
• Payback/return calculations
• Review of installer proposals for unrealistic assumptions

If you tell me your city/state (or whether this is a house, condo/co-op, or commercial building), I can narrow the list to firms that actually serve your type of property.

• Schwerd Consulting - 138 Pleasant Knoll Way, Freehold, NJ 07728, United States
• Pure Power Engineering - 111 River St Ste 1110, Hoboken, NJ 07030, United States
• LandAir Energy Solutions - 2050 Fairfax Ave, Cherry Hill Township, NJ 08003, United States
• Impact Solar LLC - 202 Glenwood Ave, Haddonfield, NJ 08033, United States
• Public Service Solar - 340 E Broad St Unit 1A, Burlington, NJ 08016, United States
• GreenSite Engineering & Consulting, LLC - 526 US-206, Hamilton Township, NJ 08610, United States
• Solar Energy World - 7930 National Hwy #201, Pennsauken, NJ 08110, United States
• Kaitanna Solar Installation Company - 180 Harrisonville Rd, Mullica Hill, NJ 08062, United States
• Nassau Solar Consultants - 20 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ 08542
• Delval Solar - 700 Professional Plaza, 700 Rt 130 North, 700 US-130 #108, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077, United States
• Pro-Tech Energy Solutions - 215 Executive Dr, Moorestown, NJ 08057
• Clean Energy Advisors INC - Milltown, NJ 08850, United States
• Gensun Roofing and Solar - 900 Sherman Ave, Pennsauken, NJ 08110, United States

Yes. If you want a genuinely independent feasibility study, I’d favor an engineering/energy consultant that is not also trying to sell you the solar installation. The study should give you a defensible “go/no-go” answer that you can then take to multiple installers.

For a rooftop project in New Jersey, some options worth investigating are:

• Schwerd Consulting — A specialized solar engineering consultancy. It offers feasibility studies, conceptual design, structural analysis, and technical due diligence rather than simply selling an installation. This is probably the closest match to what you mean by independent.
• Pure Power Engineering — NJ-based engineering consultancy specializing in solar and storage. Its work includes rooftop structural feasibility and engineering, making it a good candidate if the roof structure is a significant concern.
• Bioengy LLC — NJ energy consulting firm that specifically lists PV + storage feasibility and owner-side review of solar proposals. It is registered with the NJ Board of Public Utilities as an Energy Agent and Energy Consultant.Bioengy LLC+1
• Langan — A larger engineering firm with renewable-energy feasibility and due-diligence capabilities, including engineering, permitting, environmental, geotechnical, surveying, and infrastructure issues. It may be more appropriate for a large or technically complicated property.Langan

What I would ask for

A worthwhile independent study should cover more than “how many panels fit on the roof.” Ideally, ask for:

• Roof condition and remaining useful life
• Structural capacity and any reinforcement required
• Shading/solar-access analysis
• Maximum practical system size
• Annual kWh production estimate
• Electrical-service capacity and interconnection feasibility
• Utility-rate and net-metering/credit assumptions
• Current NJ incentives and tax considerations
• Installed-cost estimate based on realistic market pricing
• 20–30 year cash-flow/payback/NPV analysis
• Sensitivity analysis for electricity prices, degradation, maintenance and financing
• A clear go/no-go recommendation
• The underlying assumptions and data so competing installers can be compared on an apples-to-apples basis

New Jersey's Sustainable Jersey guidance specifically describes an independent feasibility study as examining existing conditions, risks, financial viability, engineering, permitting, utility interconnection, technology and construction requirements.Sustainable Jersey

One local alternative is LandAir Energy Solutions in Cherry Hill. They publish a particularly detailed feasibility package—drone imagery, structural pre-check, electrical review, production estimate and recommendation—and quote roughly $2,500–$7,500 for the detailed study. However, because LandAir also installs solar, I would not classify it as fully independent; I'd use it as a benchmark against an independent engineer.LandAir Energy

My recommendation: get the independent engineering study first, then solicit 3–4 installer bids using the same study/specifications. That reverses the usual process, where the installer determines whether solar is feasible and then sells you the system.

If you tell me whether this is your home or a commercial building, and approximately how large the roof is, I can narrow this down to the best 3–5 independent firms for your situation.

• Solar Advisors - 3809 S Congress Ave, Ste 40237, Austin, TX 78704
• Texas Energy Consultants - 2721 W Sprague St, Edinburg, TX 78539, United States
• Texas Solar Consulting - 18847 Redland Rd, San Antonio, TX 78259
• Texas Solar Consulting - 4848 Pin Oak Park #221, Houston, TX 77081, United States
• Texas Solar Consulting - Houston, TX 77081
• Solur Power - 3903 W US Highway 83, Ste C, McAllen, TX 78501
• Solar 360 - 2216 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island, TX 78597, United States
• VeriWatt - Commercial Solar Quality Assurance Feasibility Repair Maintenance Service - 3202 W Republic Rd Ste 100, Springfield, MO 65807, United States
• Rio Delta Engineering - 117 Rio Vista Blvd, Rio Grande City, TX 78582, United States
• RGV Solar - 2575 E Griffin Pkwy Ste 9, Mission, TX 78572, United States
• Solar Ranch Development Company - 2016 Main St, Houston, TX 77002, United States
• SmartPro Solar, LLC. - 1333 E Jasmine Ave, McAllen, TX 78501, United States

Yes. If your goal is a truly independent feasibility study, I’d favor an engineering/consulting firm that does not sell or install the equipment you’re considering. That gives you an unbiased second opinion before you sign an installer contract.

Since you appear to be in the Rio Grande City/Rio Grande Valley area, these are worth considering:

• Solar Advisors — An Austin-based solar advisory firm specifically positioned as an independent alternative to going directly to an installer. They offer independent system design, equipment reviews, and proposal/bid evaluation. This is probably the closest match if you're looking for a homeowner-focused independent opinion.
• Texas Energy Consultants — Located in Edinburg and offers energy/renewables consulting, including technical and financial feasibility modeling. This could be particularly useful for a larger residential, commercial, or multifaceted project.
• A&R Consultants LLC — A Texas engineering firm that explicitly lists PV feasibility studies, including residential, commercial, and utility-scale projects, along with electrical engineering.A&R Consultants
• North Texas Renewable Energy Engineering (NTREE) — A particularly strong example of independence: it says it is fully independent, doesn't sell or install solar equipment, and provides detailed energy analysis based on actual utility consumption. They are in North Texas, so you'd need to ask whether they'll handle a South Texas residential project remotely or travel.

For a roof-mounted residential array, I'd ask the consultant for a report covering:

1. Roof condition and remaining useful life.
2. Shading and usable roof area.
3. Recommended system size and orientation.
4. Expected monthly and annual kWh production.
5. Your utility's buyback/export arrangement.
6. Battery vs. no-battery economics.
7. Electrical-panel/service upgrades required.
8. Structural concerns with the roof.
9. Installed-cost estimate independent of any installer bid.
10. Payback, NPV/IRR, and sensitivity to electricity-price and export-rate changes.
11. A comparison of at least two or three equipment configurations.
12. An opinion on whether solar is economically worthwhile at all for your particular house.

One important distinction: a typical solar installer offering a "free feasibility assessment" isn't really independent—their business incentive is to find a way to sell you a system. I'd specifically tell the consultant: "I am not asking you to sell or install my system. I want an independent technical and financial feasibility report that I can use to evaluate competing installers."

If you'd like, I can also find 3–5 independent solar engineers/consultants that serve Rio Grande City specifically, including their contact information and typical services/fees, and narrow them down to the best options for a residential rooftop system.

• The Solar Brokers of Maryland - 16701 Melford Blvd, Bowie, MD 20715, United States
• Sustainable You - 1255 Union St NE 7th Floor, Office #8, Washington, DC 20002, United States
• Sun Energy Consultants - 9806 Gable Ridge Terrace Apt I, Rockville, MD 20850, United States
• NU Engineering - 10665 Stanhaven Pl Ste 3128, White Plains, MD 20695, United States
• Equilux Engineers LLC - 4129 Brittany Dr, Ellicott City, MD 21043
• Aduu Solar - 8730 Georgia Ave #502, Silver Spring, MD 20910, United States
• Innovative Structural Engineering-MD - 30 S Main St, Bel Air, MD 21014, United States
• Princeton Engineering and Solar - Round Hill, VA 20141
• Uprise Solar - 1140 3rd St NE, Washington, DC 20002, United States
• Sunburst Solar LLC - 3901 Calverton Blvd Ste 435, Calverton, MD 20705, United States
• Prism Solar LLC - 853 New Jersey Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003, United States
• SunGaze Solar, L.L.C. - 137 National Plaza Ste 300 - #1, Forest Heights, MD 20745, United States

If your goal is to get an unbiased answer before talking to installers, look for firms that are paid only for the study, not through commissions on equipment sales. An independent feasibility study typically evaluates:

• Roof orientation, tilt, and shading
• Structural suitability (or whether a structural engineer should inspect the roof)
• Annual energy production estimates
• Your electric usage and optimal system size
• Utility interconnection and net metering considerations
• Financial analysis (payback, cash flow, incentives)
• Whether battery storage makes sense
• A recommendation on whether to proceed—and if so, what to ask installers to bid on

Because you're in the Washington, DC/Maryland area, these are worth considering:

• The Solar Brokers of Maryland – Acts as an advisor rather than a single-brand installer and helps homeowners compare proposals and evaluate project feasibility.
• Sustainable You – DC-based consulting firm that emphasizes independent project management and installer vetting from feasibility through completion.
• Sun Energy Consultants – Maryland-based consulting service focused on evaluating and coordinating residential solar projects.
• Solar System Services – Independent engineering-oriented firm in Maryland, particularly useful if you want technical guidance or have an unusual system design.
• NU Engineering – Consulting engineering firm that offers renewable energy and solar engineering services, which can be helpful if structural or permitting questions are important.

If you're open to hiring a national consultant (rather than someone local), firms such as Xero Solar, Advanced Energy (a nonprofit energy consulting organization), and Lightbox provide owner's representation, independent feasibility studies, or technical due diligence rather than simply selling installations.Xero Solar+2

For a typical residential rooftop study, I'd expect the deliverable to include:

• A shade analysis using satellite imagery or on-site measurements.
• Production modeling (often using industry-standard tools).
• A recommended system size.
• A review of your roof's age and any need for structural evaluation.
• A financial model showing estimated savings under current utility rates and incentives.
• A written report you can use to solicit apples-to-apples bids from multiple installers.KMB Design Group+1

One practical approach is to commission an independent study first, then ask three installers to bid against the same specification. That makes it much easier to compare pricing and equipment without each company proposing a completely different system.

If you have a detached home in Maryland or DC, I can also help you estimate your roof's solar potential and identify any local incentives before you contact a consultant.