FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
If you're a nonprofit leader considering solar, you probably have questions that your typical contractor can't answer. These are ours.
About Elevated Energy
What is Elevated Energy?+
Elevated Energy is a mission-aligned solar developer and energy partner for nonprofits, faith-based organizations, universities, and municipalities. We design, develop, fund, build, and manage solar projects built around your mission, and we measure and report the impact for the full lifecycle of the project.
How is Elevated Energy different from a solar contractor?+
A contractor builds what they're handed and moves on at commissioning. We start with your mission, design the project around it, align the funding to maximize what's possible, manage construction from permitting through power-on, and then stay with you for the life of the project to measure and report your Return on Mission™.
What types of organizations do you work with?+
Our best-fit clients are nonprofits and faith-based organizations with clearly defined missions that serve their communities. We also work with universities and municipalities.
Where did Elevated Energy come from?+
Elevated Energy grew out of Perrysburg Energy, which Scott Thompson founded in 2016. Perrysburg Energy was built to solve a simple problem: clients needed one accountable partner for the full project lifecycle.
About Solar Development
What is the difference between a solar developer and a solar contractor?+
A contractor builds a project. A developer creates value before construction begins. At Elevated Energy, we do the front-end strategic work: assessing viability, aligning capital, structuring funding, and designing the project around your mission.
How do you make a solar project bigger than our grant?+
Part of our expertise is identifying federal incentives, energy-market revenue programs, and utility programs to layer on top of grant funding or your existing budget to significantly increase total project capacity. The Sisters of St. Francis project is a good example: a mission-aligned design and smart funding structure significantly increased the size of the project, nearly doubling the size of the carport in the first phase of a $5 million campus solar vision.
How long does a solar project typically take from first conversation to commissioning?+
Every project is different, but the development and permitting phase typically runs several months before construction begins. Construction timelines vary by project size and complexity. We give you a clear schedule at the start of the development phase and manage against it.
What happens after the solar system is installed?+
That's where most contractors stop and where we keep going. After commissioning, we manage system performance, handle maintenance, and deliver monthly impact reporting that translates your energy production into mission outcomes.
About Return on Mission™
What is Return on Mission™?+
Return on Mission™ is our proprietary impact metric that captures the full value a solar project delivers for a mission-driven organization. It measures outcomes across four dimensions: economic, environmental, educational, and social.
What is Energy into Impact™?+
Energy into Impact™ is the process of tracing every kilowatt your system produces to a real mission outcome. Clean energy reduces operating costs, those savings get intentionally directed into mission priorities, and we track that flow every month.
How do you calculate Return on Mission™?+
We validate energy production data, apply verified utility rates and emissions factors, and translate savings into mission allocation categories that your leadership defines. The methodology is proprietary and maintained internally so clients receive clarity without being burdened by complexity.
Who decides how the savings are allocated to mission priorities?+
Your leadership does. Mission allocation categories and percentages are set annually by your organization based on your values and priorities. We build the framework. You make the decisions. We report on them.
Can we share the Return on Mission™ reports with our board and donors?+
That's exactly what they're designed for. Every monthly impact summary is written in plain language, ready to include in board reports, donor communications, annual reports, and community updates.
About the Engagement
What does working with Elevated Energy actually look like?+
It starts with a discovery call to understand your mission, your current energy situation, and what you're hoping to accomplish. From there, we move into development, construction, and long-term impact reporting and stewardship.
Do you work on projects outside Ohio?+
Our roots are in Northwest Ohio, where we've built landmark projects like the Sisters of St. Francis solar carport and the Glass City River Wall. We work with mission-driven organizations and evaluate projects based on fit, not geography.
How do we get started?+
Book a discovery call. It's 30 minutes, no pitch, just a conversation about your mission and what's possible. If we're a good fit, we'll tell you. If we're not, we'll tell you that too.
Next step