One of the most popular and easily accessible renewable energy sources nowadays is solar power.
Solar power has become a viable option for commercial buildings due to the rising need for environmentally responsible and cost-effective alternatives to conventional energy production.
Here we’ll examine how solar power is being used in the business world, focusing on how it’s being utilised to light up offices, run stores, and run factories.
Let’s dive in and see how solar power has impacted company practices so far!
How Commercial Buildings Can Benefit From Solar Energy
Reduces Expenses And Creates Financial Gains
Commercial properties have substantial continuous electricity costs.
The use of solar panels drastically lowers annual energy bills.
Installing solar panels requires a sizable upfront investment, but over time, the money saved from electricity bills more than pays for the panels themselves.
Increases Property Value
These days, everyone is talking about how to save energy.
Commercial properties with solar panels installed tend to sell more quickly and for a higher price.
It Benefits Your Brand And The Environment
Since solar energy can be generated repeatedly and doesn’t contribute to global warming, switching to it is good for the environment.
Consumer demand for green goods and services has grown in recent years.
For example, a company’s commitment to sustainability and environmental protection is highlighted when it goes green by installing solar panels.
It’s A Safety Against Electrical Failures
Power outages can leave completely electric-reliant buildings in the dark during storms or when something goes wrong with the wiring.
However, companies can keep their doors open during a blackout thanks to solar panels and backup battery systems.
Low Expense Of Maintenance
Maintenance for solar panels is minimal over their useful lifetime; a regular wash may be necessary depending on environmental conditions and the amount of dust and dirt that settles on the panels.
They are very reliable because there are no moving parts.
Solar panels are constructed with non-corrosive aluminium frames and tempered glass, making them impervious to the elements. The lifespan of photovoltaic cells is estimated to be at least 25 years.
Solar Advantages for Businesses and Homeowners
Renewable Energy Source
Solar power is one of Earth’s few completely renewable energy sources.
Moreover, the sun will continue to shine for as long as we remain on Earth; its energy reserves are thought to last at least another 5 billion years.
Significantly Lowers Energy Bills.
If you generate electricity on-site, you’ll use less energy from the National Grid and other conventional utility providers.
Said your savings will be proportional to the energy you generate.
Of course, how much will depend on the system’s size and your typical consumption patterns?
Nevertheless, saving hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds a year with little effort is possible.
Easy To Set Up, Affordable, And Decreasing In Price
Many consumers need help with the price of solar panels.
Despite wide price swings from customer to customer, we can offer consistently great deals thanks to the panels’ simple installation (there are no moving parts).
The future looks bright since solar panels are now widely available and affordable rather than a niche experimental item.
Environmental Impact Reduction
Solar panels’ capacity to generate electricity without contributing to global warming or water pollution makes them a popular choice among those concerned about the environment.
Even in densely populated places, the silence of solar panels makes them a viable option.
Let’s say your company is considering installing solar panels for commercial use.
In such instances, you may leverage them as a cutting-edge illustration of your CSR, which could be the deciding factor in winning over new clients.
Increases Both Your Energy Safety And Control
Your company will be safer from power outages and blackouts if it uses less energy from the National Grid.
Loss of productivity is a major risk in these situations because it can reduce your capacity to perform work for clients and customers, which can quickly rack up costs (both direct and indirect).
A main power outage can have a significant impact on productivity and income.
Still, if you can generate and store energy on-site, you can reduce the impact of an outage on your business.
Your Generated Electricity Is More Valuable
Research has determined that our daily energy demands are greatest between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and then again in the late evening.
There’s no need for rocket science to figure out why: that’s when most of us are at work before taking some time off in the evening.
In addition, power costs more during daylight hours because most businesses and homes use electricity.
Fortunately, the peak hours for solar energy production are between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., so the electricity you generate will be more valuable and cost-effective.
Benefits Your Csr And Environmental Credibility
Solar panels are great for the environment for several reasons, and they also serve as a symbol of your company’s dedication to environmental protection.
Customers in the current era, especially in light of the worsening climate problem, are increasingly voting with their finances by patronising environmentally conscious enterprises.
Installing solar panels is a terrific way to improve your CSR, which may help you win over the pickiest of consumers and investors.
Silent And Space-Saving
Compared to the other advantages, these are less important but still useful.
For example, quickly putting solar panels on top of a current structure can save important space elsewhere, which might spare you logistical issues if your firm expands physically, like expanding with new premises or structures on-site.
In addition, if your company is located in an apartment complex, the absence of noise from solar panels, as opposed to technologies like mobile generators, can assist in improving your standing with the local community.
Broader Economic Benefits Of Solar Energy
Of course, there are broader benefits as well.
Domestically and internationally, solar energy investment yields two- to three times as many new jobs as coal or gas investment.
It’s also dependable since the sun is so difficult to privatise.
Solar Energy Problems in Business and Industry
Landlord-Tenant Alignment
Landlord-owned buildings, on the other hand, have challenges that need to be present in owner-occupied structures.
For instance, a property owner may be enthusiastic about solar energy, but the tenant owns the electric metre and is responsible for all electrical costs.
As a result, landlords are not incentivised to spend money on a perk (lower electric bills) that primarily benefits the tenant.
One option is for the landlord to purchase the solar panels and then sell the tenant the electricity they generate.
However, the landlord could be concerned about long-term payments for solar electricity if the tenant’s contract expires within the next three to four years.
In this case, it might make sense for the landlord to consider taking over the electric account.
On the other hand, a renter with a 10- to 20-year lease may purchase the solar panels outright without any investment from the landlord.
There is still a chance that the landlord will object to solar installation or demand payment for the usage of the roof.
Sometimes, however, a flex building’s solar potential is thwarted by the presence of numerous tenants, each of whom has their electric metre and whose leases expire at different times.
In all of these cases, solar may be installed thanks to ingenious building layouts that reap incremental benefits for the landlord and the tenant.
Electrical Load
The vast rooftops of many office buildings make them ideal locations for solar power plants.
However, most solar panels can only provide enough energy to cover the annual electric consumption of the building’s metered account.
In addition, many large buildings are used as warehouses without the usual heating, cooling, and industrial processing that generate a hefty electric bill.
Because of their modest electric load, these structures can only accommodate a relatively small solar array.
Therefore, switching gas-powered machinery to electrical power for solar energy may make sense.
In other circumstances, it may be beneficial to cover a large roof with solar panels and send the power produced straight to the grid rather than to the building’s metre.
Age Of Roof
Unlike commercial roofs, which normally have a warranty of 10-25 years, solar panels have a standard warranty of 25 years.
Installing solar panels onto a roof that needs to be replaced within the next five years is not a wise decision for a building owner.
It would be very expensive to remove solar panels, replace the roof, and re-install them if solar panels were first installed.
This is not an issue for roofs under five years old. The lifespan of the solar panel system is roughly equivalent to how long the roof is predicted to last.
An older roof, between 15 and 25 years old, is still in good shape without any active leaks. A replacement is scheduled for the far future.
However, it is not necessary at this moment.
Should we put off solar till we have a leaking roof? It could be less expensive to replace the roof before it collapses, allowing solar panel installation to start sooner.
The solar installer and roofer must coordinate their efforts to ensure a smooth solar roof installation.
Structural
Ballast is typically used to fix solar panels on roofs rather than permanent penetrations. Solar panels typically contribute 3-6 psi to the overall building weight.
It is essential to have a skilled structural engineer check a structure to determine its structural capabilities, but many buildings have been constructed to sustain this amount of added weight.
Prefabricated “Butler-style” buildings should be carefully analysed because many of them were not constructed with considerable additional capacity.
Solar systems can be designed to be lightweight and fit within the structure’s parameters.
Capital
Many demands exist on a company’s cash, and the primary business has ongoing operational and expansion requirements.
Although solar energy has the potential to generate higher returns than investments in core activities, it is still viewed as a luxury rather than a need by most people.
As a result, the solar sector has devised innovative ways to finance its projects to combat this problem.
Some of these structures do not require repayment from the company or its balance sheet and have a negligible effect on the business’s ability to get debt financing for its primary activities.
Lenders are more likely to approve solar energy projects that reduce recurring operational costs for their borrowers.
The goal of any simple solar installation should be to help you find the best financing plan for your business or building rather than leading you towards their prefered plan.
The increasing demand for ecologically responsible and cost-effective alternatives to conventional energy generation has made solar power a popular renewable energy source for commercial buildings.
It saves money and generates profits, raises the value of real estate, helps businesses and the environment, safeguards against electrical breakdowns, and requires nothing in the way of upkeep.
One of the few truly renewable energy sources on Earth, solar power has enough energy stored in it to endure for at least the next five billion years.
Installing solar panels can help you save money and lessen your influence on the environment.
They are favoured by eco-conscious consumers since they can be installed quickly and cheaply and their costs are continually going down.
Value and efficiency are enhanced because they improve energy security and management. They can also serve as a cutting-edge example of a company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability.
Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., solar panels produce the most usable and inexpensive electricity. Solar panels are beneficial to the environment and can demonstrate a company’s dedication to sustainability.
They don’t make a lot of noise or take up much room, create twice as many new employment as investments in coal or gas, and are reliable since the sun is hard to privatise.
However, in owner-occupied buildings, landlord-tenant alignment is more difficult since owners may not have an incentive to pay for an amenity that primarily benefits tenants.
Even if tenants pay for solar panels out of pocket and without landlord involvement, the property owner may still raise objections. Ingenious building layouts allow for the installation of solar electricity in flex buildings, benefiting both the landlord and the tenant in small but meaningful ways.
The annual electric consumption of the building’s metered account is the maximum amount that solar panels can offer, so it may make sense to convert gas-powered machinery to electrical power.
Installing solar panels on a roof that will need to be replaced within the next five years is not a good idea because of the solar panels’ usual warranty of 25 years.
Solar panels are often mounted on rooftops using structural ballast, which adds between 3 and 6 psi to the building’s overall weight.
Solar energy systems can be made to be compact and light so that they can be installed in a variety of locations.
Higher profits are possible with solar energy, although it is still considered an extravagant investment.
The solar industry has responded by coming up with novel approaches to securing funding for its endeavours.
Financial backers are more inclined to give the green light to initiatives that cut fixed operational expenses.