As energy costs continue to rise, businesses are looking for reliable and cost-effective solutions to protect or reduce the impact of power outages on their operations. For many, a generator has been the go-to solution for backup power. However, with the ever-fluctuating and overall-increasing cost of diesel, businesses, and households are looking at alternatives, such as integrating solar and battery energy storage into their power mix.
Solar technology has advanced significantly in recent years, and solar panels are now more efficient and affordable than ever. It is a renewable source of energy, meaning that it is available in virtually unlimited supply, and has the ability to generate electricity without producing any emissions. However, as a stand-alone solution, solar power does have its limitations. For instance, solar panels generate power during daylight hours, and production is affected by cloudy days. In addition, solar panels can only produce energy if connected to an outside power source. This means that, on their own, they cannot protect your business against load shedding without being integrated with battery storage and generators.
This is where battery storage comes in. A solar power system with battery storage allows businesses to store excess energy generated during the day and use it at night or during periods of low solar generation. This ensures a consistent and reliable source of backup power, even during extended power outages.
The answer is a hybrid green energy solution. This means incorporating solar, battery energy storage, and in some cases, generators to achieve the optimal mix of power and emissions savings while protecting your business from load shedding. Properly designed and installed a hybrid system will use the savings from solar, and the ability to store and reuse power, at different times, from the batteries with the backup provided by generators.
Although there may be long-term savings, the upfront cost of adding solar power and battery energy storage can be prohibitive for many businesses. The good news is that, in most cases, a green energy system can be financed without spending any of your capex budget. Specialist green energy finance houses such as Broadreach Energy can assist you in designing the right solution and integrating it into your existing power infrastructure. In addition, they can advise whether you can qualify and utilise tax incentives to reduce the cost of the system. Once installed, they will own, monitor, operate, insure, and maintain your green energy system.
While generators are the cheapest solution if they are running sparingly, the cost of diesel and maintenance is a significant factor that can eat into a business’s margin. In contrast, adding a hybrid solar power system with battery storage can save businesses money in the long run and provide a more reliable and cost-effective backup power source.
In conclusion, as energy costs continue to rise, businesses need to consider energy security solutions that are both reliable and cost-effective. While a generator may have been the traditional solution, integrating solar power, and battery storage with your generator is becoming an increasingly popular choice. The result is cleaner and more sustainable. Contact Broadreach Energy to get started with switching to green energy today!
References:
Kavvada, O., & Kammen, D. M. (2014). The cost of reliability in decentralized solar systems. Applied energy, 136, 428-436.
Renewable Energy World. (2020). Solar Power is Now the Cheapest Source of Electricity in History, According to Latest Lazard Report. Retrieved from https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/solar-power-is-now-the-cheapest-source-of-electricity-in-history-according-to-latest-lazard-report/
White, S., & Lloyd, S. (2018). The Rise of Solar Plus Storage: Reducing Costs and Increasing Reliability. Retrieved from https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/The-Rise-of-Solar-Plus-Storage-full-report.pdf
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