You may already be aware of some advantages of having a solar energy system. In fact, more households and commercial establishments are taking advantage of solar energy more than ever because – let’s face it – the future of fossil fuels is uncertain, fueled (pardon the pun) even more by the ongoing war in Ukraine. The sun is a veritable unlimited resource. Even in the United Kingdom, which was not traditionally seen as a ‘sunny’ place, UK enterprises and individual homeowners are changing their attitudes regarding solar energy.
In the past, solar power was seen as an expensive and unreliable source of energy. But its image has gone through a bit of a revival in recent years, particularly for businesses and commercial enterprises. If you are keen on discovering more about solar energy and what it can do for your business, here’s what you need to know about the real benefits of a commercial solar installation.
The benefits
Let us tell you right now – solar energy has its definite pluses, but it also has its minuses. When installing a solar energy system in your business or commercial establishment, you must keep this in mind. As everyone who’s had a solar energy system installed will tell you, it can be a significant cost – but while the initial expenses are fairly costly, the technology is constantly developing. It is almost guaranteed that the system will pay for itself in time. That said, here is a rundown of its benefits:
It can significantly lower your electricity bill
One apparent benefit of a solar installation – particularly if you ask for help from solar experts – is that when you install commercial solar panels on your property, you will have much lower electricity bills. Your bill for electricity will decrease, and the savings you get will greatly depend on your solar installation’s size as well as your consumption of energy.
For instance, if you are running a business and switch to commercial solar panels at some point, the system can cover a large part of your energy bill. But, more than this, you can also potentially earn some money by selling any surplus energy back to the grid via the SEG – or the Smart Export Guarantee.
It costs very little – if at all = to maintain
Another benefit brought by a solar panel system is that your installation would hardly require any maintenance. Generally speaking, you only need to clean them once in a while, around twice a year. And many solar manufacturers offer warranties of up to 20 to 25 years.
You can apply it to many uses and purposes
Aside from allowing you to save significantly on your energy bill (and potentially earn through the SEG), the solar energy you have can have different uses and purposes. First, you can produce heat with your photovoltaic cells, and second, you can generate heat through solar thermal solutions. In addition, you can use solar energy in areas or locations which do not have access to the grid. It has even been used in regions with limited access to clean water to distil water.
Today, solar energy can even be used as building materials – in recent years, Sharp has come up with windows used for solar energy! There is no limit to the potential range of applications of solar energy, and the future is bright indeed.