How to prepare your commercial business for solar panels installation

There are several factors to consider about your commercial property prior to installing solar panels including the cost, feasibility of the project, regulation requirements and long-term goals and benefits.

Assessing your energy needs

Understanding your energy needs and consumption is key to knowing how solar could benefit your business. To assess your energy needs you can conduct an energy audit to analyse the profile of your consumption, determine how much you use and whether solar can meet the needs of your business. The majority of SME size and larger businesses operating today have a Half Hourly (HH) electricity consumption meter, the data recorded by this device provides a detailed overview of your businesses electricity needs throughout each day. This important data is incredibly useful when modelling the benefits a potential solar PV system. Considering solar for your future energy demands as the business grows is a great method of future proofing.

Evaluating your roof and building

It is important to assess the suitability of your commercial building to ensure solar is viable for your business. The primary things to evaluate are the roof space, roof condition, orientation of the building and any potential shading due to trees or other close properties. If your roof is old fibre cement, it is likely that it contains asbestos. In this case, re-roofing or over-cladding would need to be considered.  These are all factors that an establish solar PV system designer and installer will be able to advise on and introduce you to specialists that can provide advice on remedial works or structural assessments.  Any costs for remedial works prior to the solar PV being installed usually have a small impact on the payback period when incorporated into the solar PV payback model.

Financial planning

Planning the financial aspects of commercial solar involves thinking about the initial investments, potential energy savings and the system’s payback period. Funding options for initial investments can include self-financing, leasing, power purchase agreements (PPA) and asset financing. Government grants can also offset upfront costs, particularly for self-financed projects, enhancing your return on investment over time. Evaluating the energy savings a solar panel system can generate for your business helps you understand its impact on monthly bills and anticipate the estimated payback period. This period reflects how long it will take for your energy savings to recoup the system’s cost. Other considerations are how much of your total electricity needs will be met by a solar PV system – the higher the % the better protected your business will be against grid supplied energy price rises. At Mypower, our customers typically achieve a payback within 3–5 years.

Thinking about permits and regulations

There may be certain permits and regulations to be considered for your commercial solar installation, one of these being planning permission. This may be needed if the building is in a conservation area or exceeds specific size limits, for example. If none of these apply to your building or it is a smaller-scale installation, planning permission is most likely not required and will be covered by permitted development rights.

Deciding which solar panel you need

The structure of the building will determine the type of solar panel that will be suitable for installation.  If the structure is weaker, for example a lightweight aircraft hanger, thin film solar panels will be needed because they are more lightweight than a crystalline panel, however they are less efficient and have a shorter lifespan.

What to consider once it's installed

Looking after your solar PV system post installation is vital to ensure it maintains its efficiency and longevity and maximizes ROI for your business. Using monitoring software provided by your trusted installer allows you to track your system's performance, optimize energy production, ensure it operates efficiently and meets expectations, and quickly identify any issues. This enables prompt action to resolve problems and maintain peak functionality. In some environments solar panel cleaning for maintenance is essential to keep them free of dirt and debris, which can have a huge impact on the systems performance and energy output. Keeping them clean will ensure smooth energy production, long-term high efficiency and performance and continuously meet your business’ energy needs, ultimately keeping your bills low and creating a higher ROI in the long run.

How Mypower can help?

Mypower are committed to supporting you through the entire process of your solar panel installation from start to finish, including conducting site surveys, making grid connection applications to the relevant Distribution Network Operator (DNO) and assisting with required regulations and permits, as well as delivering post-installation support and providing a comprehensive handover package.  

Are you looking for a complete turnkey solution for solar PV for your business? Contact Mypower today.