Whenever I land in a city I can’t help noticing how few -- if any -- commercial rooftops have solar panels. Historically, there have been two reasons why commercial solar hasn’t taken off as quickly as residential solar has: complicated financing and high costs for equipment.

But now, with more commercial financing options and lower prices for equipment, simple paybacks for commercial systems are often fewer than five years. That’s why big national companies such as Walmart, Safeway, Costco and Home Depot are adding rooftop solar systems to their retail and warehouse buildings.

If you own, manage or have a long term lease on a commercial building -- especially in a location where electric rates are high -- you should take a serious look at rooftop solar. Please Listen Up to this week’s Energy Show on Renewable Energy World for an overview of the process, equipment, and key considerations for commercial rooftop solar installations.