How Solar Power Systems Can Help Your Business?

Solar power systems are not only relevant to governments and large utilities looking to procure solar power, but to commercial and industrial businesses too. Currently, solar PV systems are the cheapest form of available power, and prices are continuing to drop. It is no wonder that businesses are keen to get on the solar trend. But how, specifically, can industrial businesses benefit from solar power systems? 

Solar power systems reduce operating costs

The first and most obvious advantage of installing a solar power system is cost saving. Because solar is such an affordable form of electricity, it is an easy way to reduce operating costs dramatically, particularly for industrial businesses that have consistent loads or run 7 days a week. Two factors make solar PV a good investment for industrial businesses: they instantly reduce operating costs, and the great solar irradiance in South Africa means that they can produce a substantial amount of energy.

How much will a solar PV system save industrial businesses? This largely depends on the type of business, times of power use, and other factors that may influence the cost of the solar electricity generated. For an estimation of how much your business could save with a solar solution, get in touch with us for a free analysis of your electricity tariff. 

Solar power systems can reduce diesel costs during load shedding and other power outages

Whilst most solar power systems are grid-tied, meaning that they do not operate during load shedding or other power outages, solar PV can greatly reduce the cost of diesel that might be required for backup power during an outage such as load shedding if this is taken into account whilst designing the system. 

Solar PV systems continue to generate power as long as it is light – and this applies to periods of load shedding during the day. However, solar inverters are designed to switch off during a grid outage, which serves as a safety mechanism for personnel that might be working on transmission lines during outages. However, this does not mean that large buildings with solar PV systems do not have options for load shedding. With careful engineering, It is possible to replicate a fake grid-tied scenario to “trick” the solar inverters into staying on. 

In order to retrofit a grid-tied solar system to operate during load shedding, two essential steps need to be taken. Firstly, the system needs to be isolated from the grid to prevent any exporting of power that could affect the safety of maintenance personnel. Secondly, a voltage forming source is required, in order to provide a reference voltage and frequency to the solar inverter. With these mechanisms in place, a solar PV system can continue to function seamlessly during load shedding, and thus reduce the costs of diesel and extend the life of on-site generators greatly. 

When does it make sense to go entirely off grid? If your business has a weak grid connection and thus has inadequate kVA supply, or it uses diesel roughly 20% of the time, it might be worthwhile to look at the cost-benefits of installing a solar PV microgrid with batteries. 

Solar power systems reduce carbon emissions

It goes without saying, but supplementing your business’s electricity supply with solar power is a great way to cut down on carbon emissions. In South Africa, the Carbon Tax was gazetted on 1 June 2019 – meaning that companies will have to take their carbon emissions into account when filing for their tax returns. According to the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the first phase of the carbon tax is R120 per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, which will increase annually by inflation plus 2% until 2022. 

There is a minimum threshold for emissions allowances in order to allow for businesses to transition to cleaner energy and invest in energy efficiency projects, but in general the carbon tax is here to stay – and if avoided, could save the business from tax expenses. 

In addition many large companies are heeding their stakeholders’ requests to be more responsible in the way that they do business. Global support of sustainable business practices have increased dramatically over the last few years, particularly in the manufacturing sector. In response to global consumer trends, a group of multinational corporations established the RE100 as a commitment  to going 100% renewable energy. One signatory of the RE100 is AB InBev, who recently entered into a multi-tiered Power Purchase Agreement with SOLA to supply their South African Breweries with 8.7 MW solar power systems. For them, the commitment to renewable energy is a no brainer – both in terms of cost savings and their sustainability commitments. 

By giving you a better overview, solar power systems can increase operational efficiency

Solar power systems are not only a way to reduce operational costs and lower carbon emissions, but they also provide an opportunity for businesses to evaluate and improve on their energy consumption habits. In order to correctly size a solar PV system, it is important to examine the load of the building, and with this will come insights into your energy consumption patterns. Is it possible to run some of the plant during the day when solar PV is at its cheapest? Are there additional energy efficiency measures that could assist with bringing your load during peak hours down? By encouraging a monthly overview of a business’s energy consumption, solar power systems can help to further energy savings even more. 

Solar power carport systems can provide cool, protected parking

Whilst many businesses in South Africa have ample roof space for housing solar power systems, solar power systems are perfect additions to parking lots and convert them into shady, protected carports. Solar carports are very similar to ground-mounted solar systems, but they have the added advantage of not requiring any additional land if a parking lot exists. What is more, because of global demand, these systems are becoming increasingly affordable. The solar carport at Old Mutual head office is an example of how a solar power systems can utilise existing space to create savings for businesses.