Business Solar Panels
Why Should Businesses Use Solar Panels?
SDid you know that solar panels can lower your company’s environmental impact while also saving you money annually? Whether your business is big or small, commercial solar panels can be useful.
The majority of businesses operate during the day, making them excellent candidates for solar panel installation. Unless you combine your solar array with a solar battery storage system, the energy generated by solar panels immediately leaves the system.
The significant cost reductions are one of the main advantages; even small enterprises can make annual savings of several hundred pounds.
This amounts to hundreds of pounds throughout the solar panels’ 25-year lifespan. You can make money by selling extra energy to utility companies if you run industrial solar panels.
Solar panels for businesses have advantages beyond practicality and cost savings. Additionally, you are reducing your company’s carbon impact by converting to commercial solar panels.
Based on how many greenhouse gases your actions have produced, this. Solar power is carbon-free and renewable. Switching would demonstrate your company’s dedication to environmentally friendly and sustainable business operations.
If you’re prepared to transition to commercial solar panels for your company, GreenSavings Network can assist you in comparing the finest deals available. To get up to four quotes from installers in your region, fill out our form. We provide a free, no-obligation service.
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What Are the Prices of Commercial Solar Panels?
Small to medium-sized enterprises typically pay between £16,000 to £70,000 for commercial solar panels. However, a variety of factors, like the size of the roof, the quantity used, and the amount of energy generated, affect the cost of solar panels.
To decide whether solar panels are a viable alternative for your company, start by estimating the cost. Examine your electricity bill in more detail to see how much energy your business consumes each month. It should include your monthly energy usage as well as the cost per kW charged by the utility company.
The majority of small to medium-sized enterprises use between 30,000 and 50,000 kWh of electricity annually. Your system size, and subsequently the costs, will vary depending on where in the UK your firm is located.
With larger systems, it’s a good idea to figure on about £1,000 per kW + VAT.
If you run a very small business, you could compare solar panel installation costs to get a ballpark figure.
Additionally, if you have commercial solar panels installed, you can be qualified for tax breaks. However, companies like solar farms that rely on solar energy for their revenue generating are not able to do this.
Below, excluding VAT, is a general breakdown of how much commercial solar panels cost.
Prices of Commercial Solar Panels
System dimensions |
Average price |
10 kW |
£9,500 + VAT |
20 kW |
£18,200 + VAT |
40 kW |
£35,000 + VAT |
50 kW |
£44,000 + VAT |
60 kW |
£51,000 + VAT |
What Will It Cost to Install?
The panels and inverters are the main expenses involved in constructing a solar panel system for your company.
If it takes a long time to complete the installation of a particularly large solar panel system, the installation prices could somewhat increase.
Calculating £0.2p per installed watt is one technique to determine how much it will cost to install commercial solar panels. That would imply that installing a 10kW system may cost around £2,000 (excl. VAT). It may take several individuals to install huge commercial systems, and the more people needed, the more expensive it will be.
However, after the initial installation charges are paid for, there are hardly any more expenses.
Are Planning Permissions Required?
Before installing commercial solar panels, you might need to seek planning clearance in some circumstances. Many times, the firm doing the installation will be happy to arrange these approvals on your behalf.
Before agreeing to any contracts, always inquire so you are aware of what to expect.
You will need to obtain authorization if your building or property site is classified as historical or a component of a world heritage site.
What Are the Maintenance Costs?
One benefit of purchasing commercial solar panels is the minimal maintenance expenses for solar panels.
The hardest aspect of the process is installing the solar panels. Solar panel maintenance is fairly simple once they are installed because you only need to hire an expert to look them over once every four to six years.
In order to eliminate dust and dirt, solar panels often need mild cleaning on a regular basis. You can assure optimal effectiveness by keeping them clean. You may be able to cut costs by handling the system’s annual maintenance yourself, depending on the setup’s complexity.
Commercial buildings’ solar panels could be too high for you to reach, so if you need to, think about hiring a cleaner.
Solar panel grants for commercial structures
Government funds are not yet available in the United Kingdom for installing solar panels on commercial structures.
In March 2019, the Feed-in Tariff scheme’s application period ended. However, as the UK attempts to reduce emissions and its reliance on fossil fuels, new financial options could materialise.
Since the implementation of the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) in January 2020, companies may be able to make money by returning excess energy to the national grid. You need a smart metre to track the power exported in order to qualify.
If you work in the public sector, there are also some solar panel funding options available. For instance, Salix Funding offers interest-free financing for energy-efficient technology. Governments own Salix, which is supported by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Welsh, Scottish, and Department for Education.
Monetary savings
The SEG permits suppliers to determine the cost of the energy they buy. The law states that rates may be variable or fixed as long as they are more than zero.
While these costs may differ, you can anticipate that they will resemble market and wholesale prices. This might translate into a sizeable profit from the extra energy your solar panels output.
What Advantages Do Commercial Solar PV Systems Offer?
Solar energy has various benefits, including affordability, effectiveness, and potential financial gain. The three main benefits of using solar panels for your company are broken down below.
1. Lower Utility Bills
The cost of energy from business solar PV will be far lower than what you were previously paying to a utility company. Even while saving a few cents per kWh seems insignificant, it gradually adds up.
The UK also has relatively cheap maintenance costs for solar panels. As a result, you will pay less overall for the electricity you use.
2. Effective Energy Generation
Commercial solar panels can improve the productivity of your daily operations. Standard solar panel efficiency levels range from 15-20%, however they can occasionally reach 42 percent.
The efficiency ratings of commercial rooftop solar panels vary since they are not all made of the same material.
Monocrystalline solar cells, which are known for being the most effective solar panel material on the market, are produced from a single piece of silicon. They are the most expensive as a result.
However, this material’s big solar panels will outperform polycrystalline ones in areas with little sunlight.
Polycrystalline panels are made by melting a number of silicon crystalline particles together. Because they are simpler to construct, they are less expensive. These panels nevertheless run at a 13–16 percent efficiency even if they are less efficient at saving space.
Another common solution that uses even less material is thin-film solar panels. Although these panels are the easiest to produce, they also have the lowest energy efficiency and take up the most room.
It’s important to consider the materials used in production when assessing the effectiveness of commercial solar panels.
3. Tax Reduction and Potential for Additional Income
One of the main advantages of solar panels for businesses is the possible increase in revenue. Although exporting prices have changed, the SEG still enables business owners to increase their revenue while lowering their electricity costs.
You still have the chance to passively earn hundreds of pounds with your solar panel investment each year because some suppliers are offering rates that are comparable to FIT.
Tax benefits may further increase the appeal of purchasing a photovoltaic system.
What Are the Primary Drawbacks?
Commercial solar installation has drawbacks, as with most things. While there may be problems related to solar panel installation businesses, the issues discussed below are more generally related to commercial solar PV installations.
1. Large Initial Expense
The high initial investment cost is one of the most notable drawbacks. You expect to see a high return on investment (ROI) when you purchase commercial solar panels, but it can take years. You will be in charge of the out-of-pocket costs in the interim.
It’s important to note that commercial solar panels often break even far sooner than residential systems due to their potential to produce significantly more power.
2. Dependence on Weather
As sunlight is converted into electricity by the photovoltaic effect, all solar panels are affected by the weather. The effectiveness of solar panels will decline in unfavourable weather conditions like clouds, snowfall, or intense heat.
This drawback may cause your energy conversion to fluctuate at specific times of the year. However, solar panels will continue to function even in the absence of direct sunshine or throughout the winter since they continue to create electricity.
What Are the Top Manufacturers of Solar Panels?
When selecting the top solar panel businesses, there are many things to take into account. Type, power, efficiency, power tolerance, size, and product warranty should all be considered.
Following a review of the specifics, the following six businesses stand out:
Questions regarding Commercial Solar Panels
GreenSavings Network can assist you in comparing the top offers on the market if you’re interested in installing commercial solar panels. Just complete the contact form, and we’ll send you up to four quotations. Our assistance is absolutely cost-free and non-binding.