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Installing solar panels for office buildings seems like a no-brainer. After all, these buildings usually have ample roof space, and some installations may even be done in parking lots or other secluded areas connected to the main building.
However, is it beneficial for office buildings to go the electric route and power the entire business using nothing but the sun?
In this guide, we will cover the basics of solar panels and how they can be beneficial for office buildings.
Office buildings make for great candidates for solar systems due to their adequate energy usage and real estate space.
Solar panels use a specialised sequence of “cells” that make up a solar panel. The cells are made from material that generates electricity when exposed to sunlight. This energy travels through wires and usually goes into an inverter that converts the direct current to alternating current.
Alternating current (AC) is the de facto way we power the world. It is efficient, offers better reliability, and can be stored relatively safely.
Solar systems are designed to either provide direct power or store the energy that can be used later when the sun goes down.
In both cases, you will be able to harness the power of the sun and limit or even eliminate your dependence on the grid.
This results in lower electricity costs and better reliability. Since you don’t have to depend on the grid, you can lower your carbon footprint and use clean, renewable, and efficient energy 24/7.
Offices require more electricity than residential spaces, however, the consumption isn’t off the charts as you would see in the industrial sector.
With the majority of electricity going towards electrical devices such as laptops, computers, devices, and light machinery, solar systems are more than adequate to fulfil the needs of any office building.
Here is a roundup of all the benefits of investing in solar panels for office buildings:
as mentioned above, using solar energy can greatly lessen your electricity bills. Businesses can choose to either completely switch to solar or go for a divided approach where you can use most of the power from the solar system and still be connected to the grid as a backup.
Furthermore, businesses can also sell excess stored energy back to the grid, a process called net metering. Net metering can help businesses make additional money and achieve a quicker Return on Investment (ROI) in solar installation. Please contact a professional electrical company like Calder Electrical to know how you can enable and manage net metering.
Solar energy is pro-environment! Solar energy has a lower impact and can significantly lower your carbon footprint. Additionally, solar panels don’t produce any waste or sound making them the perfect energy-generating system for office and residential spaces. In fact, experts believe that a typical solar PV system in the UK could reduce carbon emissions by more than a tonne every year – and with more people adopting solar power, this impact can be quite significant for the environment.
Electricity peak hours are around 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the UK. During this time, the cost of electricity is increased as per the demand. The good news is that by investing in solar panels you can offset the higher tariff. It is important to note that peak hours are set during daylight to incentivise the use of solar energy.
Solar systems don’t use mechanical parts and rely on electrical components. This makes them quieter and more resilient to damage when installed properly by a professional installation company like Calder Electrical. The panels usually have a 20-to-25-year guarantee and only require cleaning to remove dirt/debris and maximise solar exposure.
The system only requires a complete replacement of the batteries and the inverter but even these replacements are relatively low cost. Apart from this, the entire system is designed to operate on minimal maintenance – and if it rains, the panels can virtually clean themselves!
Solar panels can be installed anywhere in the office premises that sees a lot of sunlight which makes them highly versatile. The system itself is designed to be upgradable so if your power consumption increases, you can install more panels to generate more electricity! The system is also highly reliable and is free from fluctuations and faults that you could experience on the grid, particularly during bad weather.
Solar systems are perfect for businesses that want to work towards a sustainable future. This sentiment has become even more attractive and important in modern times due to climate change and environmental degradation. The modern customer is constantly on the lookout for “clean” businesses that play their part in helping improve the environment and by going the solar route, you can have a positive impact on the brand image of your business!
There are several types of solar panels that you can purchase for generating electricity, but there are three main types that rule the market:
These panels are made from a single-crystal silicone. The panels are assembled by forming these crystals into a single bar which is then used to cut thin wafers. The wafers are then used to make the individual solar cells in the panel.
These panels have a dark black colour which maximises sunlight absorption and are often considered the most effective design for capturing sunlight in the context of electricity per square foot of space.
Monocrystalline panels have a higher efficiency rate and provide better overall performance even in low-light or indirect-light conditions – but they can be quite expensive! These panels typically cost between £1,000 and £1,500 per kilowatt (kW). However, if you do the math and invest in a properly installed system, you can gain back the initial investment within a few years and even start earning from the excess energy stored in the battery!
These panels are made from silicon crystals that are heated and melted together. The resulting mixture is formed into ingots that are carefully sliced to form wafers. These wafers are then combined to form a solar cell.
Polycrystalline solar panels have a blueish appearance giving them a unique appearance. While these panels provide great efficiency, they are less efficient when compared to monocrystalline panels – but, as you may have guessed, these panels are cheaper than monocrystalline panels.
Thin Solar Panels, also known as Thin-Films, are made by depositing very thin layers of photovoltaic material onto a surface such as glass, plastic, or even metal. The resulting sheet gains photovoltaic properties and can be used to capture photos just as the other panels mentioned above.
This technique makes these panels very durable and since they can be applied on curved surfaces, makes them even more versatile. However, these panels are the least efficient in capturing sunlight.
These panels use a variety of photovoltaic materials like amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, or copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS). The type of material used for the cells will determine the efficiency of the panels, however, you can expect to install more panels to get the same output generated by monocrystalline or polycrystalline panels.
Solar batteries are just as important as the panels! Since office buildings require constant energy and any power disruption can essentially cause the business to lose money in productivity and work, offices require a robust storage system that works 24/7.
Solar systems use batteries, and in most cases, the same types of batteries used in your smartphone and laptop!
To understand solar batteries, we first need to explain their types.
Solar batteries can be categorised into four types:
DC (Direct Current) ruled the late 19th century and was touted as the default method for storing and transmitting energy. However, DC systems have several drawbacks, the biggest one is that they aren’t efficient when transmitted over long distances.
Luckily, for small closed systems, DC power can prove to be effective. DC battery systems are directly connected to the solar panels and do not require an additional inverter (a system that converts DC to AC) since they are connected before the main grid meter.
This makes the system more efficient and direct for transmission, but at the cost of efficient storage since these systems provide less optimised charging/discharging and could affect feed-in tariffs.
AC (Alternating Current) battery systems are connected after the main grid meter. The power generated from the panels is DC, which is not compatible with modern appliances, so to convert it, the electricity goes through a device called an inverter. The inverter converts the current to AC and then the converted electricity is stored in batteries.
Since these systems require additional wiring and components, AC systems are more expensive – but they don’t affect feed-in tariffs since the electricity meter registers the total output of the system.
Smart solar batteries can also be thought of as hybrid systems that use a combination of AC and DC along with computational power and advanced battery chemistry technology to provide ultimate convenience for offices.
Since these batteries use computational power, the data collected from the panels and components in the system is processed in real-time to provide the best storage and transmission combination.
For example, on a clear and sunny day, the battery can “decide” to directly provide solar power to the office building rather than take it from the grid.
If the system detects a dip in the overall input, like during bad or cloudy weather, then it would shift to grid energy. Similarly, to protect the battery from overcharging, the system may progressively drain the battery using a battery-grid hybrid system and charge the battery optimally.
As you can imagine, these smart systems are often more expensive, but they provide a lot of convenience and efficiency, especially for office buildings. Most smart systems are also connected to the internet using IoT (Internet of Things) which means that you can have a professional electrical company like Calder Electrical monitor the system remotely.
The system also allows users to see real-time data and adjust the system using a mobile application from anywhere in the world!
The average cost for solar panel installation for offices will depend on the energy requirements.
Here is an average for typical office buildings:
Please note that these are just averages and the actual costs will depend on the energy requirements for your business.
A professional electrical company like Calder Electrical can help work out a sustainable long-term installation plan according to the needs of the business.
Here is a breakdown of the typical solar panel battery storage system costsf included in the above estimates:
While the cost of installing a solar system may seem high, the immediate efficiency benefits and long-term monetary benefits can help offset the initial cost! For example, if you apply for a Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), you can sell excess energy back to the grid and gain back on your initial investment. Furthermore, the reduced electricity bills along with tax benefits from the government on switching to solar initiatives can significantly improve the ROI of the installation.
Calder Electrical Services provides a wide range of solutions to help you play your part in making the world a more sustainable place.
If you wish to have solar panels installed on your residential or commercial property, our experts can conduct a site visit to determine your requirements and propose the best type of solar system for your needs.
We also offer solar battery storage installation so that you can minimise any wastage of the energy you create. This will help lower your energy bills and make you more independent from the grid.
We have been providing electrical services to residential, commercial, and industrial properties for over 40 years and are specialists in all aspects of electrical installations, maintenance, and testing.
All our work is fully insured and meets the current regulations and standards set by the NICEIC. Also, all the notifiable work is signed off by the local authorities.
Contact us here or call us at 0800 612 3001 to get in touch with our professional electricians for more information on the different types of solar panels and battery storage options.
