# Go solar on your home

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: forks.world community. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv3g9o4o000xjk062xp6ufs0
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 11 steps across 1 layer
- Persona: Homeowner, Solar installer, City or county, Electric utility
- Technology / systems: Utility interconnection portal

## Pain points

Where this process hurts, worst first:

- **Apply to the utility to connect to the grid** (Go solar on your home; critical): Interconnection approval is often the slowest step
- **Get quotes from a few installers** (Go solar on your home; painful): Quotes are hard to compare: system size, panels, warranties and financing all differ

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## Go solar on your home

Lanes:
- Homeowner: person / role (id `you`)
- Solar installer: person / role (id `inst`)
- City or county: person / role (id `city`)
- Electric utility: person / role (id `util`)
- Utility interconnection portal: technology / system (id `portal`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Decide to look into rooftop solar** [start; Homeowner; id `i1`]
   - then Check your roof's age, shade and your yearly electric use
2. **Check your roof's age, shade and your yearly electric use** [task; Homeowner; id `i2`]
   - then Get quotes from a few installers
3. **Get quotes from a few installers** [task; Homeowner; id `i3`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (painful): Quotes are hard to compare: system size, panels, warranties and financing all differ
   - then Pick an installer and sign the contract
4. **Pick an installer and sign the contract** [task; Homeowner; id `i4`]
   - then Do a site survey and design the system
5. **Do a site survey and design the system** [task; Solar installer; id `i5`]
   - then Apply for the building permit
6. **Apply for the building permit** [task; Solar installer; id `i6`]
   - then Apply to the utility to connect to the grid
7. **Apply to the utility to connect to the grid** [task; Solar installer; id `i7`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (critical): Interconnection approval is often the slowest step, using Utility interconnection portal
   - then Install the panels and inverter
8. **Install the panels and inverter** [task; Solar installer; id `i8`]
   - then Inspect the installation
9. **Inspect the installation** [task; City or county; id `i9`]
   - then Swap or set the meter and give permission to operate
10. **Swap or set the meter and give permission to operate** [task; Electric utility; id `i10`]
   - then Turn the system on and watch your production
11. **Turn the system on and watch your production** [end; Homeowner; id `i11`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_you["Homeowner"]
    n_i1(["Decide to look into rooftop solar"])
    n_i2["Check your roof's age, shade and your yearly electric use"]
    n_i3["Get quotes from a few installers"]
    n_i4["Pick an installer and sign the contract"]
    n_i11(["Turn the system on and watch your production"])
  end
  subgraph l_inst["Solar installer"]
    n_i5["Do a site survey and design the system"]
    n_i6["Apply for the building permit"]
    n_i7["Apply to the utility to connect to the grid"]
    n_i8["Install the panels and inverter"]
  end
  subgraph l_city["City or county"]
    n_i9["Inspect the installation"]
  end
  subgraph l_util["Electric utility"]
    n_i10["Swap or set the meter and give permission to operate"]
  end
  n_i1 --> n_i2
  n_i2 --> n_i3
  n_i3 --> n_i4
  n_i4 --> n_i5
  n_i5 --> n_i6
  n_i6 --> n_i7
  n_i7 --> n_i8
  n_i8 --> n_i9
  n_i9 --> n_i10
  n_i10 --> n_i11
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "Go solar on your home",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "you",
          "name": "Homeowner",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "inst",
          "name": "Solar installer",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "city",
          "name": "City or county",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "util",
          "name": "Electric utility",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "portal",
          "name": "Utility interconnection portal",
          "type": "system"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "i1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Decide to look into rooftop solar"
        },
        {
          "id": "i2",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Check your roof's age, shade and your yearly electric use"
        },
        {
          "id": "i3",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i4"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "Quotes are hard to compare: system size, panels, warranties and financing all differ",
            "level": 2
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Get quotes from a few installers"
        },
        {
          "id": "i4",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i5"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Pick an installer and sign the contract"
        },
        {
          "id": "i5",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "inst",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i6"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Do a site survey and design the system"
        },
        {
          "id": "i6",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "inst",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Apply for the building permit"
        },
        {
          "id": "i7",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "inst",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i8"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "Interconnection approval is often the slowest step",
            "level": 3
          },
          "uses": [
            "portal"
          ],
          "label": "Apply to the utility to connect to the grid"
        },
        {
          "id": "i8",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "inst",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i9"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Install the panels and inverter"
        },
        {
          "id": "i9",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "city",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i10"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Inspect the installation"
        },
        {
          "id": "i10",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "util",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "i11"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Swap or set the meter and give permission to operate"
        },
        {
          "id": "i11",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "you",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Turn the system on and watch your production"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Go solar on your home",
      "parent": null
    }
  }
}
```