Community Solar Validation

Replacing a manual, excel-based workflow with a self service experience for solar host customers.

Overview | Product Context| Phase 1| Phase 2| Looking Ahead

OVERVIEW

Solar Validation improved how Distributed Generation (DG) customers located in Massachusetts (MA) and New York (NY) navigate and complete solar-related workflows within the digital experience.

Solar Validation launched January 2026 as an MVP pilot to 11 Massachusetts accounts. This is first time solar customers could submit monthly credit allocations directly through My Business Account (MBA).

TEAM AND DURATION

1 Product designer (me)

2 Product design leads

1 Product design manager

January 2025- January 2026

PRODUCT CONTEXT

Bringing Clarity to a Complex Solar Allocation Process

Background: Solar host customers are responsible for allocating solar credits across multiple accounts, a process that directly impacts billing accuracy and financial outcomes. This workflow relied on manual steps, external files, and complex state-specific rules, making submissions time-consuming and error-prone.

Key Challenges and Constraints:

State-specific rules differ between MA and NY, requiring different flows and validation logic
Strict submission windows tied to meter read dates
No visibility into submission status
Fully manual, file dependent workflow

PHASE 1

Initial Allocation Hub Concept

Solar Validation initially explored a centralized submission hub where users could manage past, draft, and new allocations in one place. Technical and product constraints led to the team pivoting away from this approach.

Allocation Request Hub (out of scope):

• Centralized past, draft, and new submissions

• Surfaced submission status across months

• Enabled reuse of previous submissions

PHASE 2

Focus Area 1: Managing a Large, High-Risk Allocation Form

In Phase 2, the experience moved toward a guided flow where users can navigate to the DG credits tab within My Business Account (MBA) to complete their allocation form. This adjustment balanced feasibility with the need for a clear, understandable user experience.

While more advanced table interactions were explored, the MVP prioritized patterns that would keep users oriented, accurate, and confident when working with large allocation tables.

Previous Excel Form:

• Required users to manage complex allocation data across large tables

• Relied on manual checks and external review cycles, increasing cognitive load

• Made it easy to lose place or miss errors during entry and review

Final Allocation Request Form:

• Replaced Excel workflows with an in-product form

• Improved focus and orientation as users move between rows and fields

• Auto-saved progress with safe recovery

Inline Validation:

• Real-time feedback during data entry instead of after submission

• Helped users quickly see which entries needed attention without scanning the entire table

• Reduced rework by allowing corrections to happen in place, as users worked

Focus Area 2: Submission Clarity and Recovery

Allocation forms follow strict submission windows and may require follow up review steps. Without clear feedback, users could feel unsure about when they can submit, what happens after submission, or how to undo changes if needed. This focus area clarified those moments to support confident submission and safe recovery.

Revert Modal:

• Prevented users from accidentally losing valid allocation data

• Clearly explained what would happen before undoing changes

• Gave users confidence to recover from mistakes without fear of irreversible loss

Ready to Submit Modal:

• Helped users understand what would happen after submitting their allocation request

• Set expectations that some entries might not pass validation

• Reduced surprise and confusion when results were returned

Submission Window Blocked:

• Clearly communicated when submissions were unavailable and when users could return

• Removed the entry point to prevent users from starting an action they couldn’t complete

• Reduced confusion and unnecessary retries during restricted submission periods

Focus Area 3: Post Submission Feedback

Once an allocation request form is submitted, users need clear feedback on its status and next steps. Since validation happens in the background, the experience focuses on making system states visible and preventing unnecessary or duplicate actions.

Run Status Check:

• Provided visibility to system status by communicating that validation was in progress

• Set expectations that results might take time and could require returning later

• Provided clear system status to reduce uncertainty and repeated submissions

Processing State:

• Showed processing states in real time

• Prevented changes while the request was being processed

• Eliminated guesswork about form state

Completed State:

• Visibility of system status: confirmed that the allocation request was successfully submitted

• Disabled submit button to prevent accidental edits after submission

• Allowed re-editing while the window remained open

LOOKING AHEAD

Deployment and Next Steps

Community Solar Credit Allocation launched on January 26, 2026 as an MVP pilot, allowing select Massachusetts solar developers to submit monthly credit allocations directly through My Business Account. The pilot focuses on reducing manual processing and giving users clearer visibility into submission timing, status, and outcomes. Feedback from this rollout will inform expansion to additional accounts and future enhancements to the broader solar experience.