The idea is as old as the landlord-tenant relationship; one party needs a place to put something, the other has the place. Ideally it is a winning situation for all involved. That sentiment is driving a new trend in the solar industry -- hosting solar panels.

Large scale solar electric systems -- the kind that will make the biggest dent in energy standards for utilities -- require a good deal of space with present technology. At the same time, most businesses would love to take advantage of free or low-cost energy, not to mention the eco-friendly publicity. So the deal works out like this: a business or landowner (public or private) has a large parking lot, rooftop, or open land that is prime for solar; the utility or solar firm has the cash and know-how to build and maintain a large solar energy system. A symbiotic relationship is born.

The business needs minimal up-front cash, gets a good portion of free energy, reduced energy bills, and good publicity. The utility or solar company gets tax incentives, available renewable energy credits, and sells excess power back to the grid (or free profit in the case of utilities). Some examples include the Padre Dam project near San Diego, which utilized state park land to host an 862 kilowatt solar system. This system also happens to provide shade to 300 RV parking spots. On the other side of the country, JC Penney is hosting SunPower solar systems on the rooftop of five stores in New Jersey. Between New Jersey and California, JC Penney will eventually host 3.7 megawatts of solar power.

In Arizona, the Arizona Solar Power Society recently held a conference for commercial business owners in the state, advocating the benefits of hosting solar systems. These and other proponents of the idea see 2009 and, more specifically, the economic stimulus package as an open window for solar energy. For them, locating and utilizing acres of available urban rooftops, parking lots, and nearby land represents an easy way to implement solar systems fast and affordably, without the hassle of major transmission and infrastructure upgrades.