Regardless of the financing method chosen and the potential of your installation, you must keep in mind that installing solar panels means mobilizing money over several years. It is therefore a long-term project from which you will not find the return on investment quickly, at least in financial terms.
A solar installation has a lifespan of at least 30 years. Today, it takes around 10 to 15 years to make your installation profitable thanks to the energy savings on your bill. Solar energy in Australia However, with the fall in equipment costs and the rise in energy prices (and therefore also electricity), this period should shorten significantly in the coming years. Furthermore, if your company has implemented extra-financial indicators, and in particular the monitoring of your greenhouse gas emissions, this is a project that can help you achieve your objectives.
Should we plan to add a battery to store energy?
Producing your own electricity is a major asset in energy independence. But in the event of a general power outage, for example at the neighborhood level, the solar installation stops operating (just like the rest of the network).
In order to secure the continuity of their electricity supply, some companies therefore install generators, particularly running on diesel (hospitals, for example). Problem: this means having to manage a second installation and incur additional costs. Not to mention the deterioration of the carbon footprint.
A “cleaner” option is to add a battery, which charges from the installed photovoltaic panels. Today, this is still an expensive option, but if resilience is a significant constraint, it must be considered.
Please note, the ecological footprint of batteries is not neutral. Whether it is the preservation of resources or their recyclability, they are far from perfect. But they still represent a carbon footprint and pollution that is much lower than the use of fossil fuels such as diesel or fuel oil.
Will I pay more for my insurance?
A solar installation is exposed to several risks, especially due to climatic events (storms and others) and fires. The professional who manages your project must put in place several measures to limit these risks.
In particular, it is appropriate to install inverters outside under cover to isolate damage potentially caused to the general low voltage switchboard (TGBT), the use of thermography to capture temperature variations, the installation of video surveillance, etc. Insurance must be provided for the construction phase, which covers the panels and damage resulting from a disaster, then another for the operation phase. If you operate the installation yourself, you will therefore need to take out an additional policy.
When you use a third-party investor, these aspects are taken care of by the professional.
What happens during the life of the installation?
As we saw above, Solar companies in Australia solar installation has a lifespan of at least 30 years. During its operation and before this deadline, however, there is an inevitable amount of wear and tear on the equipment, particularly the inverters. So, pay close attention to the extent of the warranty: its duration, the situations covered, the exclusions, etc. Take care to check that there is a warranty of at least 25 years on the equipment, to ensure its quality.
You now have all the information to consider your business solar installation project. Whether from an economic or ecological perspective, you have everything to gain, especially in an increasingly tense energy context.
If you wish to study the feasibility for your activity and your potential in more detail, make an appointment with our experts!
