If we are to draw up a list of some of the most notable innovations of our time in no particular order, don’t be surprised to find solar panels in the list. After all, not for nothing do renewable energy experts have been vociferously advocating solar to the public.
Solar energy is arguably the cleanest form of energy available to us, as yet. It’s available in abundance, limited only by our capacity and technical know-how to produce more panels or improve upon the existing ones. What’s more, it is also surprisingly versatile, meaning it can cater to a wide spectrum of users, and that includes your business too!
But is its ‘clean energy tag’ or ‘versatility’ enough reasons for your business to go solar? A resounding ‘yes’, if you count yourself among the sustainability champions. But for others, it takes some convincing.
Let’s start with the most obvious one – electricity bills!
Electricity bills eat up a sizeable portion of business profits and serve as the scourge of power-hungry commercial facilities. No wonder they say: All is well until it’s time to pay the electricity bill!
Now, making matters even worse is the ever-increasing energy rates. With energy rates predicted to skyrocket in the coming years, and businesses are already at a loss as to how best to brave this imminent storm, there appears to be a need for cheaper yet functional solutions.
Enter the savior, enter solar!
Generating electricity onsite using solar panels significantly lowers a building’s dependence on the grid. Here, most of the building’s energy requirements is taken care of by the panels, thus freeing the building from entirely relying on the grid.
And that’s not all.
The federal government, in a bid to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy across the country, has introduced interesting schemes such as ‘net metering’, which allows the grid-tied solar PV systems to transfer the excess energy they generate back to the grid, and – guess what – get paid for it!
As such, it won’t be longer before it starts reflecting positively on your electricity bills.
In an ideal world, power grids are super reliable, pumping electricity into your building like clockwork. But alas! Ours isn’t an ideal world; nor does power grids supply electricity round the clock.
Here, in the real world, things are different. All it takes to overload a grid system is a slightly higher consumer demand. Also potent in compromising the integrity of the grid are extreme weather conditions like hurricanes or tornadoes.
Such disruptions could prove costly for you and your business, for the longer it takes the professionals to resuscitate the fallen power grid back to life, the more will be the working hours you lose.
One way to circumnavigate this issue is to invest in solar panels. When paired with a fitting battery energy storage system, solar panels can store the excess energy it generates in the battery, which can then be used to power your building in the event of a power outage.
Note that using battery storage system may affect your net metering results, for the energy in this case, is transferred to the battery instead of the grid.
At a time when the environmental impact of businesses is coming under intense scrutiny, it only feels right to have a sustainable option up your sleeve that reflects positively on your business from an environmental standpoint. And solar can be that option!
Arguably one of the cleanest energy sources, solar helps bring down the carbon footprint of your business, lessening its environmental impact.
And not just that!
It also serves as an effective marketing or public relations tool by enhancing your reputation as a forward-looking business that works at the cutting-edge of technology.
If you still think going solar, for all its benefits, lightens your wallet due to the huge upfront cost, you need to hear this: solar panels, once they are up and running, will straightaway be in the business of saving you money. So, whatever the upfront cost, chances are that you’ll recover your initial investment over the course of your ownership.
Speaking of the huge upfront cost, the federal government, with its plans to expediate the adoption of renewable energy among the public, has introduced different financial incentives to make solar more affordable. Rebate, for one, is one such incentive, paid either as a cashback when you install a solar PV system or given to you as a discount on the total cost of your installation.
The financial gains of going solar doesn’t end here.
A building that is energy-independent is worth its weight in gold in the market. And since solar facilitates onsite energy generation, and therefore, independence from the grid, it significantly raises the property value of a building.
Looks like solar isn’t a drain on one’s pockets after all!
Solar, as you can see, comes with a slew of benefits that are too good to miss out on. Be it as a means to save a fortune on electricity bills or as a way to lower your carbon footprint, it makes complete sense for your business to invest in this handy technology!
Considering investing in commercial solar systems? Well, start by getting the design phase right by hiring the right design partner.
Illumine-i, for one, has done over 200MW size of projects, establishing itself as one of the leading solar design companies in the United States.
