Installing Solar Panels: What your business needs to know

There are a couple different types of solar panels, depending on your site’s requirements and size.

• Ground mounted: This type of solar panel is best for businesses that have quite a lot of land space or an area to create a ‘solar farm’. These are attached to a metal ‘A-Frame’ that is fixed to a concrete base or pole. It’s important to take into consideration that you might need to apply for planning permission, if the panels are more than 4m high, if they face a highway or are visible from a conservation area or world heritage site. You’ll also need planning permission if the site is bigger than 9m2.
• Roof mounted: These are the most common types of solar panels. If your site has a large roof space, then this is probably the best type of solar panel for your business. You may still need planning permission for roof mounted solar panels. However, since April 2015, most non-domestic solar installations under 1 megawatt are classed as permitted development by regulations. However, they will still need to meet regulatory requirements.

• Monocrystalline: These are the most popular type of solar cells with the highest level of efficiency on the market. These usually sit at 15-20% efficiency. Because of these high levels of efficiency, they require a lot less space than other cells. They also perform better in low levels of sunlight – making them perfect for the UK’s notorious cloudy weather. However, they are the most expensive type on the market and can sometimes have lower performance levels when there’s an increase in temperature.
• Polycrystalline: These are usually cheaper than monocrystalline cells, but their efficiency is a lot lower. To create these, silicon crystals are melted together. There’s a high level of crystals per cell so the electrons have little space to move about, so they produce less energy. These are usually a more common choice for domestic solar panels due to their costs.
• Solar car ports: These are a more modern typeof solar panels. These are steel structures that provide shelter for cars in car parks with solar panels installed on the roof of the structure. These can also be attached to EV charging stations to provide a charging option too. This is a great way to show your commitment to sustainability to anyone who might be using your car park.

Every business has different requirements. The number of solar panels you’ll need to install will depend on the size of your business premises and how much you’re wanting to offset. You’ll also need to consider how much sunlight you get in your area.

Similar to the number of solar panels you’ll need, the cost will also vary depending on different factors. For example, the quality of the panels, number and type will all factor into the price. If your site is looking to have around 1,700 PV modules installed, the cost is likely to be around £700,000. However, this won’t include the price of battery storage to allow you to save energy for when there’s no sunlight. You’ll also need to factor in the price of maintenance for your system. It’s recommended that your solar panels are cleaned every six months to keep efficiency high.

If your business is looking to reduce its Scope 2 emissions, installing solar panels is a great way to go. Generating your own electricity is a clean and renewable alternative to using traditional energy sources, such as fossil fuels – cutting your impact on the environment. Generating solar electricity does not produce any greenhouse gas emissions, meaning that it doesn’t contribute to global warming and air pollution. For example, the larger scale business mentioned previously would see around 180,000 kg of CO2 avoided each year. So, generating your own renewable energy can help to reduce your business’ impact on the environment and work towards your sustainability targets.