Electricity is one of the few major costs a business cannot negotiate, and in the North Bay, it climbs every year. Each PG&E rate increase quietly moves more of the company's revenue to the utility. Commercial solar is one of the only ways to take that cost back, replacing a rising monthly bill with a system the business owns and an electricity rate it controls for decades.
SolarCraft has built commercial solar across Marin, Sonoma, and Napa since 1984, longer than almost any installer still operating in the region.
Why the numbers work in the North Bay
A commercial system offsets a portion of a building's electricity at the rate the business currently pays and continues to offset it as rates rise, so the savings grow over time rather than flatten out. The fit is especially strong for any operation that runs during the day, when production peaks and demand is highest. Just as important, solar fixes part of a cost that would otherwise keep climbing, giving a business a measure of control over its energy spend for years to come.
What it costs, and what comes back
System cost depends on size, the roof or site, and the equipment, so the honest answer is that it varies. The number most owners actually care about is the return, and a well-designed system can recoup its cost within several years and then produce low-cost power for decades afterward. Two incentives drive that math for businesses: a federal tax credit and accelerated depreciation, which together take a large bite out of the net cost for any company with the tax appetite to use them. For businesses that would rather not buy outright, SolarCraft structures commercial financing through loans, leases, and power purchase agreements.
The proof is local
SolarCraft designed and installed a 417 kW system at Marin Country Club, a 161 kW system at The Fountaingrove in Santa Rosa, and a 54.3 kW system at Anette's Chocolate Factory in Napa. The company's commercial work also includes healthcare clients such as Kaiser Permanente in San Rafael, as well as wineries, schools, fire districts, and municipal buildings across the three counties. Each was engineered for the specific building and its energy use, which is why a winery, a fire station, and a chocolate factory all end up with very different systems. The full commercial portfolio lists system sizes and results.
How a project runs
A commercial installation follows a clear sequence: a site assessment of the roof or ground, the electrical infrastructure, and the building's use; design and engineering; permitting and utility coordination; construction; and the final inspection that earns PG&E's permission to operate. SolarCraft's own crews handle every stage, and the same local team monitors and maintains the system afterward.
Nothing is handed off to a subcontractor, so one company is responsible for the work from the first site visit to the last service call.
Why the installer's track record matters
A solar system is a 25-year commitment, which makes the company behind it part of the decision. SolarCraft is 100% employee-owned, has operated since 1984, and has been in business long enough to honor the long-term warranties it writes, something newer installers simply cannot claim yet. It holds General Contractor (B) and Electrical Contractor (C-10) licenses and was the first company in California to earn the state's C-46 Solar license.
To price a system for your building, contact the commercial team or call Sonoma/Napa 707.778.0568 or Marin 415.382.7717.
