Solar systems save money because they reduce the amount of electricity which a business needs to buy from the national grid. This is because the building on which a solar system is installed directly produces some of the electricity consumed in the building itself. The cost of this, net of the cost of installing the system, is much more affordable than buying electricity from the national grid.

Solar PV systems convert sunlight into electricity. These connect directly to the building’s electrical system, feeding its lighting, computers, servers and other power demands. Any electricity not used onsite can be exported to the national grid, receiving payment for doing so. The system can also be installed with energy storage, such as a battery. This means that surplus power can be stored and used later – for example, to support night-time operations.

A commercial scale solar system is any non-domestic system, although generally excluding large scale solar farms which connect directly to the national grid. In other words, commercial scale systems are those designed and financed to provide power to the premises of the site on which it is installed.

Under a PPA, the electricity user agrees to buy the power generated by the solar system which is paid for and owned by the investor over a long-term tenurel.

There are several different forms of PPAs, however Strategic Power Connect offers those known as a ‘private wire’, where the power a solar system produces is consumed onsite by the business premises, to which the system is directly connected through an electrical connection (hence ‘private wire’).

The presence of on onsite solar system should be a major draw for prospective building owners or tenants. This is because they will occupy a higher-quality asset than they otherwise would, one that will reduce their energy costs and carbon emissions compared with non-solar premises. No business can function without an energy supply, so there is guaranteed demand for the benefits of the solar system. Note that if the system has been financed through a PPA, prospective buyers or tenants may wish to take on the agreement or be subject to a buy-out clause.

Yes. Solar systems are flexible and can often be increased in size to accommodate changes in energy needs. This might be, for example, if a company decides to electrify its fleet and has higher electricity usage as a result, or if it wishes to install an energy storage system.

It can take less than 12 months from making initial inquiries with a solar installation company or project developer to having a system installed, operational, and producing carbon and cost savings. Note that one of the major variables in project development is the time required by Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) to consider applications to connect to the grid, as well as other planning work. DNOs will require a minimum of 45 working days to consider an application to connect a solar PV system to the grid and any connection offer may have conditions attached. In most circumstances, for systems larger than 1MW, it will be necessary to obtain planning permission. This can take up to three months.

A major risk for a solar project is not employing a high-quality installation company to carry out the work and going for the cheapest quote available.

Once operational, another key risk is failing to monitor and maintain the system correctly. Not doing so means possible faults could go undetected, therefore reducing system performance.

At Strategic Power Connect, we offer experience with a team who has extensive experience in the energy industry with a proven track record in project management and bringing energy savings to business. We are experts in renewable energy sources and offer a complete service of assessment, design, supply, installation, operations, and maintenance.