When cost reduction is king: 3 sectors perfect for solar finance
If you’re in business in South Africa, you’re likely feeling the squeeze of a slow-growing economy. Whilst some sectors have been more affected than others, it is safe to say that cost reduction remains a top priority for most facilities managers in today’s economic environment. At significantly lower cost to coal-based power, solar PV is a perfect solution for reducing overall electricity costs. However, for those that do not have the capex to outlay for the purchase of a new system, solar finance options remain a good choice. In this post we’ll explore three sectors that lend themselves particularly well to solar finance.
What is solar finance?
Solar finance usually involves a Power Purchase Agreement, or PPA, between a producer of electricity and an end-user of electricity. In the case of solar PV, this usually enables an electricity consumer, such as a building, to utilise solar energy at a cheaper rate to the existing utility. In addition, although the solar system may be installed on the user’s rooftop, the ownership of the system remains elsewhere, and the user pays for the electricity that they consume, rather than for the overall cost of the solar system.
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The Manufacturing Sector
Industrial processing, particularly the manufacturing sector, remains one of South Africa’s most important, given the potential to create and maintain jobs. However, in a weak economy, manufacturing is one of the first sectors to suffer: and South Africa is lagging behind its regional peers. Although South Africa needs support and policy certainty when it comes to manufacturing, it is also of chief importance that each individual facility maintains its profitability through slick and efficient and operations – and this should include using the cheapest energy.
At a much lower LCOE than grid-based power, solar is a great option for manufacturing businesses. Solar finance is especially relevant as manufacturers are not necessarily interested in owning and maintaining their own solar system – they just need to access affordable and reliable power. By entering into a solar finance option such as a solar PPA, they can maintain low operating costs and remain competitive in a struggling economy.
Dynachem Industrial manufacturing facility, 60 kWp
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The Agro processing Sector
Agro processing is a subset of the manufacturing industry but focused on processing raw, agricultural materials. A key growth sector in South Africa, Agro processing has been emphasised by the Department of Trade and Industry, as well at the Eastern Cape’s Department of Economic Development, and for obvious reasons: it accounts for almost 14% of South Africa’s manufacturing sector.
Similar to the manufacturing sector, agro processing runs on a tight margin and reducing operating costs are welcome. Although the input material costs may fluctuate significantly depending on the seasons and weather, entering into a solar PPA will ensure consistently low electricity prices for the processing of the raw materials.
As an added bonus, agro processing plants are often situated in rural areas, where there is access to adequate land for ground-mounted PV solutions, or large agricultural buildings for rooftop PV solutions.
Fair Cape Dairies 100 kWp solar system
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The Hospitality and conferencing sector
The hospitality sector is undeniably important to South Africa, with it contributing 9.3 % of the countries overall GDP in 2016. However, the sector is also facing challenges – as disruptive technology such as AirBnB continue to grow and tightened budgets mean less cause for business conference travel.
As any facilities manager of a hotel or conference centre will tell you, running a well-oiled ship is a key aspect of ensuring that their facility remains competitive. This means finding innovative ways to ensure costs are kept to a minimum. When budgeting, planning is very important, particularly because there are several variables year-on-year that can affect the overall cost of maintaining the facility.
This is why a solar finance option is perfect for the hospitality sector: entering into a solar PPA will ensure a fixed escalation on the cost of electricity for several years – meaning greater control when planning energy costs. Ensuring that the building management system is also optimised toward solar energy – for example, ramping up the aircon mid-morning rather than early morning – can ensure even greater savings. The bonus with a PPA, furthermore, is that the system will be operated and maintained externally – giving facilities managers one less thing to worry about.
Century City Conference Centre 260 kWp solar system
Solar finance options are fast-growing way of tapping in to the cost and environmental benefits of solar power. Although these three sectors here are ideal for a solar finance option such as a PPA, it is not only these sectors that can benefit. Contact us to get a sense if a solar finance option will work for you.
What we are witnessing is the birth of a new era in solar photovoltaics for Southern Africa. With the SOLA Future approach, I expect that solar PV capacity growth will be higher than any other renewable technology year on year. Is this the foundation of a private sector led green energy revolution? South Africa looks like the best market in the sub region, one starts asking why the sectors mentioned in the article above are not vigorously taking up solar PV? How can industrial electricity consumers be further incentivized to adopt solar PV by regulatory authorities… taking into account NERSA’s continuously changing and sometimes constraining regulations on roof top solar PV. THE SUN IS FREE AND SHOULD REMAIN FREE!