When running a business, the bottom line is a priority, and outgoings on running a building are possibly one of the biggest pain points when trying to improve this. This means that energy efficiency is your best friend, as it means your buildings are comfortable to work year-round, and they aren’t costing you a fortune to keep it that way.
But how do you achieve this? Many businesses are turning to commercial solar panels to generate a reliable source of energy, reduce their overheads and improve the energy efficiency of the business.
At Prostar Energy, our team have been working in the commercial solar power industry for many years and hold unparalleled knowledge of the workings of commercial solar power systems and energy storage units and how these can improve energy efficiency at your business.
In this blog, we share our five tips to improve energy efficiency at your business with solar panels.
Tip 1: Invest in High-Quality Solar Panels
The quality of solar panels you use will have a significant impact on the energy output and any financial savings you make.
High-quality panels are designed to convert high levels of sunlight into energy in a number of ways:
- To generate more power and, therefore, more energy per square foot
- To perform better in low-sunlight conditions
- To withstand extreme weather conditions so you can rely on them for longer
These mean that you will be able to rely more on your solar panel system than you will on the National Grid, reducing energy bills.
Of course, to enhance this, you will also need to invest in an energy storage battery so that you can store excess energy generated and use it when the panels are no longer producing energy, such as during the night or on cloudy days.
Tip 2: Conduct an Energy Audit to Identify Inefficiencies
Your system is only as strong as the weakest link, so to fully benefit from a solar panel system and improve your energy efficiency, you need to find and fix that.
To do this, you should complete an energy audit of your business. Identify what you are using energy for, where the energy is coming from and where it might be being wasted.
In doing this, you can find where your business might be haemorrhaging energy that you are paying for. Then, you can take that information and find solutions to prevent it.
You might find that a solution to another of your problems is another energy-saving measurement, which is perfect because your solar panel system will be able to work alongside this.
If you aren’t sure how to conduct an energy audit or just don’t have the time, get in touch with our team of professionals to book an audit with us.
Tip 3: Maximise Daylight Hours for Solar Power Generation
You can maximise the energy you are producing by monitoring energy production and completing any energy-intensive tasks during these times.
Sunlight is at its peak from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, which means this is typically when your solar panels are producing the most energy.
If you use this energy to run machinery that requires lots of power, you will be reducing your reliance on the National Grid and making the most out of your solar panels by using the energy they produce when they produce it.
If you can’t align energy-intensive tasks with peak production times, then investing in an energy storage battery is a solution to improve energy efficiency as it will store the excess energy from peak production hours, so you can use it at a later time rather than needing to turn to energy from the National Grid.
Tip 4: Upgrade to Energy-Efficient Appliances and Lighting
This might seem a little obvious, but to improve the energy efficiency of your business and get the most out of your solar panels, you should switch to energy-efficient appliances and lighting.
In doing this, you will reduce the overall demand for energy. Plus, as these won’t drain the power produced by the solar panels, they won’t prevent other machinery or equipment from being powered by solar power.
Tip 5: Take Advantage of Government Incentives and Tax Benefits
Taking advantage of tax benefits and incentives will make the installation of solar panels and other green energy systems more affordable for your business. These installations will work together to reduce reliance on third-party providers, such as the National Grid so that you can be self-reliant and improve your energy efficiency.
Government incentives for businesses include:
- Enhanced Capital Allowance – a scheme under the Capital Allowances that allows businesses to claim 100% first-year tax relief on investments in energy-saving equipment.
- Smart Export Guarantee – a scheme that allows businesses to sell back the excess energy to the National Grid.
- Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin – this is a certificate for businesses to prove their energy is from a clean and renewable source, helping them build their green credentials.
- Grants and Regional Schemes – additional grants and initiatives are available from various local councils, making installation cheaper.
While all of these incentives don’t directly link to improved energy efficiency for your business, they do make renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, more affordable so that you can start to become more energy efficient.
Improve Your Energy Efficiency With Prostar Energy
Solar panels and solar storage solutions can help you become more energy-efficient and reduce your outgoings to help the bottom line. However, they are only part of the solution.
To maximise your energy efficiency, you need to also implement these other tips:
- Conduct an energy audit
- Maximise daylight hours
- Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances
- Take advantage of tax reliefs and government grants
Combining these tips will help you create an energy-efficient and financially viable solution that will generate an ROI in no time.
Reach out to Prostar Energy to discuss installing solar panels in your business and taking the first step to improving the energy efficiency of your business.
Our accredited team can also help you conduct energy audits and apply for government reliefs or grants.
With our years of experience, you can trust us to provide a simple process that ends with a bespoke system that will meet your needs and overcome the unique challenges faced by your business and location, no matter what sector you work in.
Our services go beyond the design and installation of solar panels too so you can keep our contact details on your phone to give us a call when you need maintenance and repair tasks done and to book an annual service.
Contact us today to get the ball rolling on improving your energy efficiency and installing commercial solar panels. Call us on 0331 6302225 or complete our online contact form to request a callback from our experts.
