Solar PV systems are becoming an increasingly common sight on both residential and commercial buildings. As businesses and residents of the UK battle against volatile energy costs, more and more are turning towards renewable energy as a solution. A movement that our MD, Ryan deems to be the UK’s 2nd wave of solar.
The first boom came between 2010 and 2015 and was undoubtedly driven by the Government’s Feed in Tariff scheme, whereby homeowners and businesses were paid to install solar PV systems. For many, the draw of the scheme’s financial incentive outweighed concerns relating to system reliability, and what was deemed at the time to be less than attractive install aesthetics.
When that scheme ended in 2015 demand for solar PV installations plummeted. Without Government support the uncertainty and stigma surrounding solar PV took over, resulting in a lack of investment on all fronts – this markedly slower uptake remained the case for a few years.
Fast forward to the early 2020s and we’re seeing a refreshed interest in solar PV installations, both domestically and commercially. This is down to a few factors, the recent turbulence in the energy sector being undoubtedly the most poignant. Businesses are turning to solar as a defence mechanism against unpredictable, high-energy costs. Upon exploring solar as an alternate energy source, the discovery is being made that technology is now far more reliable, it’s markedly cheaper than it previously had been and the return on investment is predictable and undeniably attractive. Couple that with the increased demand to prove sustainability credentials for customers, suppliers, and prospective clients, and the argument for embracing solar energy is certainly a reinforced and convincing one.
Solar is currently the fastest-growing energy source in history, implementation and installation is quick and relatively painless and systems can pay themselves off in as little as 2.5 years. Consider the average lifespan of the system being 25 years and you could be looking at 22.5 years of financial benefit.
Businesses consuming lots of electricity are rightly stepping forward to protect themselves. Agricultural leaders, manufacturers, engineering firms, leisure & sports centres, etc. are among them. But solar can benefit any business with the available space for an installation (except nocturnal entities… nightclubs et. al), even if you deem your energy consumption to be moderate, you could cover your electricity costs and sell the excess back to the National Grid!
Covering a mere 5% of the UK’s commercial roof space with solar panels would power the entire country – the big question is whether your business will be a part of that defining percentage or whether you’ll choose to wait. By 2050, 90% of the UK will be powered by renewable energy, making the decision to embrace it difficult to deny. Of course, there are alternate ways of becoming green and embracing renewable energy and we’re happy to discuss any of them with you. Our goal is to work alongside numerous UK businesses to create a net zero future.
To find out more about how solar could benefit your business, visit our commercial solar PV page or drop us an email info@GoLowCarbon.co.uk
