Raising the Roof: How solar tenants are powering NOI

Your best new tenant might be sitting right above your head.

On this episode of Retail Retold, Chris Ressa is joined by Bill Fitzgerald of Radial Power to reveal a game-changing secret for retail landlords: your rooftop is prime real estate. Backed by industry heavyweights like Starwood and Related, Radial Power is turning unused roof space into pure NOI with zero CapEx. Forget about just cutting costs—solar is adding revenue streams, hitting ESG goals, and future-proofing properties.

Bill breaks down how Radial operates as a tenant, not just a service, paying you for your roof space and handling everything from installation to energy sales. This is rooftop leasing redefined, and it’s supercharging the balance sheets of forward-thinking landlords.

Ready to make your roof work for you? Tune in now.

Takeaways

• Bill Fitzgerald has been in solar for about seven years.
• Radial Power helps drive sustainability through rooftop solar.
• Solar can drive value add and increase net operating income (NOI).
• There are two main ways to operate solar on properties: ownership or leasing.
• Radial Power operates as a rooftop tenant, managing all costs and risks.
• Monetization of solar includes selling electricity and environmental credits.
• Regulatory environments significantly impact solar operations and pricing.
• Solar energy is geographically sensitive due to varying regulations.
• Solar providers like Radial Power are often misunderstood as sellers of solar systems.
• Solar installations can create additional NOI without upfront capital expenditures.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Solar and Retail Real Estate

02:45 Understanding Radial Power's Mission

04:56 Exploring Solar Ownership Models

08:47 Monetizing Solar Assets

13:39 Regulatory Challenges in Solar Energy