It's not just individuals who can stick a few solar panels on their roof and save money on their power bill while feeling good about the environment. Businesses can get a lot out of solar power too, but have some special considerations to go through that residential customers don't.
In this guide, we cover most of what you need to know to get started on your journey to cleaner energy and cheaper electricity bills.
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How much will it cost to get solar power for my business?
For a solid system between 30kW and 100kW , you'll be paying around $1,300 per kW, or about $700 per kW for a system smaller than 30kW. Adding micro-inverters for optimum efficiency and control may increase your total cost by around 20%.
Make sure you run a rigorous cost analysis for your solar system before going ahead with it, which a good commercial installer can assist you with. Many businesses pay several fees and charges on their electricity bill that aren't just from usage.
You'll not only need to check that these costs can be reduced by using solar, but also figure out what tariffs your power company will be providing you for the system in question and on what contract. Try to think less of the return on investment of solar and more of its impact on cash flow in your business. Once again, your installer can provide this, but check it over with your own accountant to ensure it makes sense.
And how much can solar power save my business?
Solar systems can save as much as 80% on a monthly electricity bill according to the Solar Savings calculator on SolarMarket.com.au, depending on your current energy bill, location and provider.
We tested out monthly bills of $250, $500 and $1,000 (with AGL or Origin) in Sydney and Melbourne and found a savings of 39-84% with solar energy.
It is worth noting that solar does come with an upfront installation cost, but if you're in it for the long haul, this can be paid off in just a few years.
Government schemes available to businesses
All states and territories
Businesses anywhere in Australia can access the following benefits if they install solar panels:
Small-scale technology certificates (STCs) which are offered by the federal government for installing the panels. Businesses can either pass these to their installer for a discount/cash back, or sell them on the market.
Feed-in tariffs are paid to businesses for each kWh of energy they feed back into the grid from their solar panels. The value of these tariffs will depend on your state and your energy plan.
There are also some government schemes available to businesses in the following states and territories:
Special long-term loans (10-20 years) for environmental upgrades (including solar PV) to non-residential buildings
Loan sizes vary depending on the situation and business
These loans have fixed interest rates, and repayments can be transferred to anyone else who purchases the land
No extra security or deposit required
What size solar system do I need?
Obviously, this will depend upon the size of your business and its power needs, and will be something to discuss with your solar installer. However, there are generally four size categories.
Energy required
Less than 30kW
30kW-100kW
More than 100kW
More than 250kW
Suitable for
Smaller businesses
Retail businesses, medium offices and clubs
Hotels, large offices and small factories
Large shopping centres and solar farms
Need to know
Falls under the same legislation as residential installations.
Require special measures to protect the grid from the power they generate.
Not eligible for STC rebates and need regitration and monitoring to claim LGC rebates.
Recommended to get specialist installers.
Remember, you'll require official approval from your local electricity distributor before installing any system greater than 30kW in size. There may be requirements placed upon your approval, such as limiting how much power you can export to the grid, which may affect what equipment you need and any projected savings.
It's possible you may need approval from local councils or other authorities. A good commercial solar provider should be able to help you with this process.
What's the difference between business and residential solar systems?
There are three main differences between commercial and residential set-ups. These are size, inverter type and rebate type.
Businesses will have not only a bigger solar system in general, but they also tend to use larger solar panels, too. Residential panels are usually 60 solar cells, while business installations use 72-cell panels. This results in lower installation costs because fewer panels are required.
Houses usually use micro-inverters, one for each individual solar panel, but this is a huge expense for a business, and one large, single inverter has its own problems. Instead, it's normal in the industry to use a string of regular residential inverters connected together for efficiency, ease of access and adjustment, and redundancy in case one burns out.
Solar systems smaller than 100kW (which includes all residential ones) are governed by STC rebates. These are paid at the time of installation and are based on how much energy your system is expected to produce over the next decade and a bit.
Commercial systems over 100kW have to deal instead with LGC rebates, where you essentially register your business as a power station with the Clean Energy Regulator. This requires you to track, report and claim for your production each year and is more involved. This means you won't really get an up-front rebate like a small residence would.
What should I expect during quotes and installation?
With a professional commercial installer, you should get a thorough energy profile analysis of your property. This will involve:
Billing structure. Is your company on flat rates, time of use tariffs, or something else? Would another tariff structure be better under solar?
Unavoidable charges. These are any of a number of extra fees businesses pay on their power bills, including service charges or ancillary charges.
Energy consumption. You'll need to know your power consumption habits over the entire year, since solar panels generate less electricity in winter due to shorter daylight hours. This may also let you know if the solar system you can accommodate is even worth it.
Site inspection. Surprisingly, you may not even need a roof to get a commercial system. While residences employ a lot of tilt-frame panels to maximise efficiency, flat-panel arrays are common for large business set-ups. This means you can place them on top of your building – or even out on the ground in front, in some special cases.
Insurance/warranty. This includes whether your business insurance will cover anything that might happen with your solar panels, as well as factory warranty for the equipment itself and installation warranty from the installer. If your set-up costs more than $40,000, you won't be covered under Australian Consumer Law and may have to appeal to other legislation.
Financing solar for my business
Business solar systems can cost tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the size. If you can't afford to purchase the system outright, you can consider other financing options like:
Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA). Under a PPA, your energy company agrees to pay the up-front cost of installing your solar system (meaning they legally own it). In exchange, you agree to buy a certain amount of power from them at a reduced rate over a period of time. The catch is you have to buy this power whether you'll use it or not.
Loans. A business or green loan will allow you to deal with your installer the same as if you were just paying cash outright.
Building upgrade finance. This is a relatively new option that helps businesses and building owners access loans to improve the water, energy or environmental efficiency of their building. Only available currently in SA, NSW and VIC.
Why should I go solar if I own a business?
Apart from the environmental benefits, businesses have many incentives to go solar. Here are just a few:
Business hours. Unlike houses, most businesses see their power use peak during daylight hours, generally between 9am and 5pm. This coincides with the peak energy production times of solar panels, meaning you can make greater use of the energy.
Enhanced savings. Small solar systems can help residents save significant amounts of money on their power bills. Since your business consumes more power but will also have greater power production, you might see bigger returns.
Public image. These days, public sentiment towards fossil fuels is low and dropping rapidly. Being able to assure customers that your business is solar-powered is great for your public image.
What else do I need to know?
Monitoring. If you install a solar system, it's very important that you monitor its power production and operation carefully to the point of charging someone with tracking it weekly. This will let you see how your investment goes.
Maintenance. Any good installer will provide you with a maintenance schedule to ensure your solar panels stay in good working condition. A typical schedule might be an inspection every six months for the first two years.
Batteries. Power storage is less attractive for businesses given their high rates of consumption, but if you particularly need power storage or a backup battery, consider them as an option.
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Sam Baran is a writer for Finder, covering topics across the tech, telco and utilities sectors. They enjoy decrypting technical jargon and helping people compare complex products easily. When they aren't writing, you'll find Sam's head buried in a book or working on their latest short story. Sam has a Bachelor of Advanced Science from the University of Sydney.
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