Solar panels have been something that commercial buildings have been leaning into, to be slightly independent of the electricity grid. It does not necessarily completely remove itself from the grid, but it does lessen the electricity bill. Despite it being well known now, there are still a ton of questions that people are curious about, so here are 9 common questions about commercial rooftop solar.
What tax credits, rebates, or incentives help to lower the cost of switching to solar?
Commercial building owners would be able to further increase their return on investment by taking advantage of all of the government incentives in their states and the cost of solar energy has dropped by 90 percent in the last decade and is continuing to drop.
Do I have to go off the grid when I switch to solar?
It is unlikely that you would be able to entirely go off the grid when you have commercial solar energy systems installed unless you have solar batteries. The solar batteries would be able to store excess solar energy. Almost all of the commercial buildings that have solar energy are still utilizing the grid but with significantly reduced energy costs.
Will my solar panels generate electricity during cloudy, rainy, or snowy days?
When there is visible light, that is when solar panels would start generating electricity but the more direct, unobstructed, and intense the sun’s UV rays are, the higher the energy production. Climate, weather, and the type of solar technology that you use are some of the factors that can affect the amount of solar energy that your solar panel would be able to produce.
Solar technology choices are critical, especially when it comes to commercial solar projects. Using a teacher mount for your solar panels would give your panels a chance to produce more energy than any mounting system because these trackers would follow the sun all day.
As a commercial building owner, how do I bill my tenants for their solar energy usage?
As a commercial building owner that is utilizing, or planning to utilize a solar energy solution, then you will need to sell solar power to your tenants, effectively profiting off their solar energy systems. You can record how much solar energy your tenant is using and bill them accordingly by using an electric meter.
You would be taking advantage of net metering (NEM) when you are installing solar on your commercial building. This is a solar incentive that would allow you to store all of your excess solar energy on the grid.
What solar solutions are available to me as a commercial building owner?
You would be able to install a larger solar power system that would be able to reduce your energy cost greatly and increase the value of your property if you have a large flat rooftop or ground space that is near your commercial building.
If you really want to take advantage of your solar power system, then you could use a tracker mount so that you could make sure that your panels face the sun all day. This technology is starting to take over the rooftops of commercial buildings and about 70 percent of ground-mount projects use tracking panels.
How much will I save on my electricity bills every month after switching to solar?
The average commercial building owner would be able to reduce their electricity bill by up to 75 percent after switching to solar power in the United States and it will also lock you into a low electricity rate for the life of your solar panels for 25 to 30 years. Aside from the solar panels themselves, there are many tools that you would be able to use that could help you estimate how much you stand to save from switching to solar.
When do I see the ROI for my solar panel investment?
Based on multiple factors, the amount of money that you would be able to save by investing in a commercial solar energy system is based on the following:
- Your solar energy usage
- The number of solar panels that you choose to install
- The solar incentives that you choose to utilize
- The type of solar technology that you use
Commercial building owners would usually see their ROI in 5 years or less since solar panels have low maintenance costs that could last up to 30 years.
What are the benefits of using solar over standard electricity?
- Double-digit ROI quickly
- Save money every year
- Demonstrate commitment to sustainability and social responsibility
- Lock your electricity rate
- Earn big tax incentives
- Increase your property value
How will solar panels affect my business’ property value?
If you want to increase your building’s value, then installing solar panels would add to the value because it could improve your company image as a green company, ensure low energy costs, and it could also update a building’s physical appearance, all the needed factors to increase your profits margin and add value to your building.
Doing research about solar and renewable energy is a must if you are interested in turning to solar energy in order to power your commercial building.
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