small Commercial solar panel system
B2B Solar PV 4kw - 10kw System
Renewable energy is a great way to reduce your energy bills and help the environment by cutting carbon emissions. Solar PV systems are one of the most popular renewable products in the UK and businesses as well as homeowners can take advantage of the energy saving possibilities.
Of course, businesses will require larger installations to see a bigger saving on their energy bills and solar panels can easily save you hundreds or even thousands of pounds every year.
In a similar way to solar panels for your home, a PV system for businesses will be fitted to the roof in a south or southwest facing direction. This ensures that the solar panels can be as efficient as possible, producing optimal levels of electricity.
The system works by converting natural light into electricity. This is created when the two layers of silicon make an electrical charge. This electricity is then converted into usable power for lighting and other appliances.
The benefits of solar power for your business
With a solar panel system converting natural light into electricity for your business will:
Solar panels for businesses can prove to be even more effective than home installations as businesses will carry out most operations during the day.
The Government’s lucrative feed-in tariff scheme, which launched in 2010, offers an incentive for the uptake of solar by paying for every unit of renewable electricity generated. This is paid for up to 20 years.
Gas and electricity prices are set to rise so taking advantage of renewable energy is a way of ensuring a cheaper future for your business.
Sell any excess electricity to the National Grid at a set rate and ensure all energy generated by your system is used in some way.
Solar panels help the environment and Government 2020 targets by reducing carbon emissions. These emissions are directly responsible for global warming issues.
How long does it take to install commercial solar panels?
So, you’ve finally decided to go for solar, here is one of the common questions that comes to mind almost immediately after making such decision. Read on to discover just how long it takes to install commercial solar panels as well as the factors that affect the time.
One thing you should know is the entire process of installing solar panels and having them approved certainly isn’t an overnight process. After each step of the process, there’s going to be some waiting time. The time it’ll take to complete each individual step can be influenced by several factors such as your location, your solar company, the preferred solar panels to be installed as well as the number of other people installing solar panels. So, just how long will it take to install the solar panels?
- Site assessment. This includes your solar company getting your site assessed and approved. The solar professional will examine the roof as well as other features to ensure that they can support a solar system. From the initial call to scheduling the site visit can take about 1 to 2 weeks.
- Local permitting. This involves obtaining the right permits from your local authorities. Due to the dependence on bureaucracy to proceed in this step, this can take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks.
- Solar system design. The solar panel type as well as mounting you’ll incorporate will also play a significant role in the installation time. This may take anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks.
- The installation. Once the installation has been scheduled, this can be the quickest step. Depending on the size of your solar system and roof, this may take just a couple of days – about 1 to 2 days.
- Inspection. Depending on your location and how quick your inspector is to show up, this step can take up to a week.
- Utility connection. This involves filing an application to get your utility company to flip the switch to connect your system. Depending on your company, this may take up to 2 weeks.
Overall, the entire process of commercial solar panel installation can go from just a couple of weeks to several months to complete. This may seem like a lot of time, but having a solar system properly installed will definitely give you years and years of various benefits.
Do you need planning for solar panels commercial building?
Just like other major house improvement projects, some specific requirements must be met to allow for the installation of solar panels on commercial buildings. The main reason why these standards and regulations were established is to minimize the risk of the solar system becoming an issue or potential hazard in the unforeseeable future. So, if you’re thinking about buying and fitting new solar panels, you’ll probably want to know whether or not you’ll require to submit a planning permission application for approval before you can proceed.
Fortunately, the installation of solar panels on commercial buildings may be “permitted development” which mean you won’t have to apply to the Local Planning Authority for planning permission. There are, however, some important limits and conditions which must be put into consideration in order to benefit from these permitted development rights. Some of the limitations include:
- The solar panels must be installed on a wall or pitched roof that should project at a maximum of 200mm from the surface of the wall or roof slope.
- Equipment placed on a roof should not be within one metre of the external edge of that roof.
- Equipment mounted on a wall must not be within one metre of a junction of that wall with another wall or with the roof of the building
- If the equipment is on the roof of a building, the capacity for generation of electricity across the entire site must not be more than 1 megawatt.
- In the situation whereby the panels are installed on a flat roof, the highest part of the equipment should not exceed one metre above the highest part of the roof.
In general, obtaining a planning permission is very important and as such, you must discuss your position with your chosen installation company before you proceed.
How much do commercial solar panels cost?
The benefits you can enjoy by fitting solar panels to power your commercial operations are immense and even more so when carried out by a seasoned professional. Not only can it help you cut down on your energy bills, but it can also go a long way to help reduce your business’ environmental footprint. The use of solar panels is beneficial to both small, medium and big companies, so regardless of size, solar panels are always a great idea. If you’re considering the installation of solar panels in your business environment, then you probably want to know just how much it’ll cost to get the project over the line. In order to help you make the most informed purchase decision, we’ve created this post to give you a good insight into commercial solar pv panel pricing. Let’s take a look!
Generally, the cost of a small commercial solar panel is £9,042. While, commercial solar pv panels is within the range of £16000 to £70000 for small to mid-sized companies. However, there are a number of factors that can influence the cost of commercial solar pv panels which includes the size of the roof, the amount of energy that’s generated as well as the number incorporated. There is a need to evaluate the cost of solar panels so as to determine whether or not they’re a feasible option for your business. In order to determine the amount of energy your company uses per month, simply take a closer look at your utility bill. This should indicate just how much energy you use per month as well as how much the utility company charges per kW. In general, most small to medium sized companies will incorporate 30,000 to 50,000 kWh annually and you can expect the cost to differ based on your location and the size of your system. The rule of thumb with larger systems is to calculate using £1000 per kW, plus VAT as the yardstick.
Business solar panel quotes
Solar panels are a great way to cut your business’ bills and reduce the carbon footprint. They allow you to cut your spending whilst also guaranteeing a fixed income over 20 years.
For up to four FREE solar panel quotes from local, vetted solar panel installers, simply complete our quick form.