Is your site a good candidate for solar PV?

Organisations across the country are looking for ways to reduce business-as-usual operating costs and achieve efficiencies to improve financial performance – and they are accomplishing this by taking control of their energy usage and associated costs. Energy is a good place to unlock financial advantage and create a differentiating strategy, as energy spend can comprise a large proportion of overhead.

One way that organisations are reducing their energy costs is by generating renewable energy on-site instead of consuming energy from the grid. Leveraging technologies that harness renewable energy not only helps with energy cost control, but sustainability efforts as well. Continued growth in adoption of renewable energy generation technologies like solar photovoltaic (PV) panels demonstrates the growing demand for clean, affordable electricity.

Over the past year (March 2020 to March 2021), 660 MW of new solar capacity were installed in the UK, with 175 MW installed in the first quarter of 2021 alone. This significant growth brings the country’s installed total solar capacity to more than 14 GW, and according to Solar Energy UK, the country could be on track to deliver a GW of new solar capacity by the end of 2021.

Why solar PV?

Solar solutions deliver supply, price and carbon certainty. Installing solar PV panels delivers energy cost savings by offsetting a percentage of energy consumption from the grid with lower-cost, on-site generated solar energy instead. Energy is no longer a variable cost – it is a predictable asset that can be leveraged for growth. Organisations are able to lock in a predictable energy rate for the lifetime of the solar PV system, enabling them to better forecast energy spend and operating expenses.

By generating clean solar energy on-site, organisations can reduce their grid consumption during the day, generating cost savings. This is especially useful when managing electricity loads of high-energy-consuming assets that peak in the middle of the day, like HVAC systems during the summer.

Powering operational processes with solar power can also enable organisations to use energy more efficiently and sustainably throughout their estate. By installing a clean source of power generation, organisations can make a positive contribution to the climate crisis and boost their sustainability credentials, as solar PV technology doesn’t emit CO2 or other harmful greenhouse gases.

Is solar PV right for you?

Installing solar PV panels can monetise a large, already-existing part of an organisation’s estate that is generally unused – like a rooftop, large space of land, or even a car park. Many organisations operate in large buildings with ample roof space and can benefit by transforming that space into an asset for on-site energy generation by installing solar PV panels.

The attractiveness of solar PV, combined with low costs of solar components – plus the UK solar industry’s goal to achieve 40 GW of installed PV capacity by 2030 – mean that this is a particularly relevant time for investing in clean energy generation technologies. Focusing on these types of investments will not only help drive adoption of cleaner, more efficient technology – organisations can also unlock financial advantage by becoming more efficient and sustainable throughout their energy estate.

But what makes a good site? Here are some factors to consider:

1. Do you own or lease your property?
2. Your property specifics – do you have the required roof space, open area or car park for a solar PV system?
3. How much electricity do you currently use from National Grid?
4. What are your overall goals? Sustainability? Carbon reduction? Energy cost reduction?

Downloading our full checklist helps you further define specifics associated with installing solar PV, so you can see if your site and current energy footprint can be improved with the installation of this technology.

You downloaded the checklist. What’s next?

When managed well, energy can help drive business efficiency and power new levels of operational performance. Selecting a commercial solar installer that has decades of experience and designs and installs high-quality solar PV systems is critical to ensuring maximum performance from the installation.

At Centrica Business Solutions, we help organisations manage the daily cost of their operational processes by transforming their already-existing assets – rooftops, ground, or car parks – into sources of on-site renewable energy generation. We support you on every step of your journey, from understanding your energy goals to optimising your solution for your available space. Every system is customised to your specific business needs in order to maximise energy production and deliver energy savings.

Our team uses the highest quality equipment, including Tier 1 bankable solar components that are backed by manufacturer warranties and are rigorously tested. The quality of our technology, our experienced project management, and our professional engineering and design ensure a worry-free investment.

When you contact us for an evaluation, our team will assess your site, walk you through available options and help you navigate this opportunity for your business.