Are Commercial Solar Panels Worth It?
Commercial solar panels have clear environmental benefits. What additional benefits do they offer, though? And if so, what are they? To learn more about whether commercial solar panels are a good fit for your company, read our guide and decide whether to use them in the commercial field.
- Solar PV Systems and Commercial Applications
- Commercial Solar Energy Panels
- Pros and Cons of Installing Solar Panels for Your Business
- Are Commercial Solar Panels Worth It?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Solar PV Systems and Commercial Applications
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems are labeled as the future of renewable energy infrastructure around the globe. They efficiently harness the abundant solar resource present in nature and generate an ample and uninterrupted electrical energy supply for fulfilling the needs of domestic, commercial, or other infrastructural loads. Not only do they provide a smooth energy supply but also significantly reduce the carbon footprint and financial expenditures of the properties where they are installed. They optimize them by mitigating grid dependency and high energy bills.
If seen sector-wise, the benefits of solar energy systems can not be higher for any other domain than the commercial sector. In commercial setups, commercial solar energy solutions can supply unobstructed energy for various commercial installations ranging from banks, offices, and hotels, as well as a broad array of other corporate sites. These systems are an ideal choice to optimize the outlook and finances of your business.
Commercial Solar Energy Panels
Commercial solar energy systems consist of commercial solar panels. In contrast to the domestic solar PV systems that range between 5 to 10 kW capacity, commercial solar systems can raise up to a value of several MegaWatts.
How are Commercial Solar Panels Made?
Commercial solar panels typically have a larger size compared to domestic-scale solar panels. They are made up of arrays that include several solar panels in them to fulfill the higher energy demands of commercial buildings.
Each of these panels consists of several solar cells fabricated with multiple layers of silicon, phosphorus, and boron, in a grid arrangement to promote electron mobilization when sunlight incidents on them. They convert solar energy into DC power that can be converted into AC power by the means of an inverter. Then, this AC power is utilized to operate any linked load. The energy they produce can also be stored using the energy storage systems and later can be used as a backup supply in conditions when solar resource is low such as bad weather, etc.. or to improve the energy reliability.
Configurations of Commercial Solar Panels
Normally, commercial solar panels are fitted on the rooftops or areas with higher availability of sunlight to efficiently exploit the solar resource during the day hours. However, their fitting arrangement may vary according to the dimensions and prospects of sunlight as well as the particular application for which they are being used.
For example, they are also installed as ground-mounted PV systems where there is no rooftop availability. They are used as parking shades in the areas to serve multipurpose as car shades and charging sources for EVs. Their examples also include utility-scale generations where they can be installed to supply energy to small communities or industrial facilities.
Pros and Cons of Installing Solar Panels for Your Business
Are commercial solar panels worth it for your commercial site? The answer to this question can be obtained after a detailed analysis of their merits and demerits.
Pros of Commercial Solar Panels
Cost Efficiency
The first major advantage of these panels is their ability to drastically mitigate your operational and maintenance costs for your existing energy systems. In this age of competition, businesses strive hard to reduce their costs. From the breakdown of major costs that businesses have to endure, energy bills contribute a very large share.
Having commercial solar panels on the commercial site will finish dependency on the grid and energy bills and continuous energy would be available without paying hefty amounts of money to the utility companies for their billing spikes.
Marketing Benefits
Operating clean is an evergreen way to establish the credibility of your business. Businesses that operate with a low carbon footprint do not only acquire the goodwill of their stakeholders and consumers but also become eligible for tax incentives and subsidy schemes by government authorities.
Commercial solar panels can provide clean energy without releasing any harmful emissions into the atmosphere and play their role in promoting the business as a green branded business.
Renewable Energy Incentives for Commercial Solar PV Systems
Some of the key incentives for going green through commercial solar energy systems are the following:
- 26% Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
- Accelerated Depreciation for solar energy
- Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)
Lower Maintenance and Operational Costs
Another technical advantage of opting for commercial solar panels is their lower maintenance and operational costs. Commercial solar energy systems do not have any mechanical equipment that needs a proper look after or is susceptible to any fatigue or wear and tear. The maximum level of maintenance required by the panels is simple cleaning that keeps their production up to the mark. No special checkups of parts replacing are needed in the long run.
Longer Duty Life
The average lifespan of a commercial solar panel is between 15 to 25 years with a quick payback rate.
Cons of Commercial Solar Panels
Higher Upfront Costs
Shifting from your typical grid-supplied energy to a renewable commercial solar solution comes with higher upfront costs. Even though this cost factor is a negative point of commercial PV systems, they have an optimized payback and return rate figure.
Intermittent Solar Resource
Solar energy is premised on the solar resource. Solar resources are intermittent throughout the day and are critically reliant on weather conditions. Bad weather conditions can impact solar energy generation and bring down the energy yield. However, these issues can be managed through energy storage equipment and capacity increment of the system which can make the energy system withstand bad weather conditions but will require an additional upfront cost.
Are Commercial Solar Panels Worth It?
Based on the above, commercial solar panels are a reasonable option. Not only do they provide techno-economic benefits, but they also push your business to a sustainable track. The effectiveness and efficiency of a commercial solar energy system will certainly depend on the quality of its installation.
Therefore, it is critical to hand over your project to a commercial solar energy solutions expert such as BougeRV, which has years of profound experience in the market with a diversified portfolio of projects. We will make sure that not only your business gets the maximum benefit from solar energy system installation but also stay sustainable through our excellent after-sale service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the performance of solar panels get affected by bad weather or low light scenarios?
Solar panels harness solar energy to power the appliances on your property. When the solar resources get low, overall production gets down. Solar panels can also produce less due to other factors such as dust, debris, or shading on the solar panels due to trees or periphery buildings. In this context, the presence of necessary equipment such as a battery energy storage system, MPPT device, etc. is necessary. This equipment ensures that your panels keep on producing ample energy for the load and that the supply and demand remain balanced.
Are there any financing options available to manage the high upfront costs?
We realize the financial burden on your budget due to higher upfront costs. BougeRV professional consultants can provide you with detailed guidance on the following options to finance and profit from your commercial solar PV system:
- Loans for renewable energy installations
- PACE(Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing
- Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)
