The solar energy it’s a renewable and inexhaustible source which we are not yet using to its full capacity. It enables efficient use of energy, taking into account the reduction of our footprint.
This type of clean energy is an alternative to the use of non-renewable energies such as fossil fuels.
There is a tendency to link the energy generated by photovoltaic panels to domestic self-consumption, but over the years many technical advances have been made to take advantage of renewable energies in other areas such as transport, agriculture , public lighting, industry, etc.
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Self-consumption for companies.
This type of energy used for commercial purposes is called self-consumption for companies or industry and it is the one currently used by many companies in their facilities.
In the vast majority of cases, this is photovoltaic solar panel installations (solar farm type), usually on the roof of an industrial warehouse.
In this way, you can take advantage of the space available on the roofs of buildings or industrial buildings companies to generate electricity through photovoltaic solar panels and generate savings on electricity bills for companies that put it into practice.
For example, there are cases of companies that need to refrigerate and freeze products on an industrial level, with very high energy costs because the machines needed to maintain cold temperatures have to operate 24 hours a day. In one case like this, a photovoltaic installation can bring countless benefits, especially in terms of reducing environmental impact and saving energy. Some companies already manage to save between 20% and 30% on their electricity bill thanks to a self-consumption solution.
Ways in which renewable energies or industrial self-consumption are increasingly profitable for companies.
Businesses are beginning to realize that switching to renewable energies provide them with many advantagessuch as reducing operating costs, improving resilience and enhancing your public image.
Businesses can integrate green energy into their operations in multiple ways, often with little or no start-up capital. In reality, an entire industry has evolved around the development and financing of renewable energy projectsthe banking sector having learned that green energy is a safe bet.
We talk about three ways in which companies can take advantage of the fact that access to renewable energies or industrial self-consumption is more profitable and easier than ever.
1. Large-scale photovoltaic systems, power purchase agreements and green energy billing.
Businesses today operate in a world where renewable energy is commonplace and the necessary technology is already within reach of almost any business. In recent years, photovoltaic systems have experienced sharp price declines.
In many cases, large corporations or multinationals choose to purchase renewable energy directly through power purchase agreements. Apple, Amazon or Facebook have entered into major power purchase agreements with major developers.
Although power purchase agreements continue to grow in popularity, they are not the only option for investing in renewable energy. Businesses can take advantage of their current electricity provider’s green power purchase options to begin offsetting their consumption.
2. Photovoltaic systems and local storage.
Thanks to tax benefits, local incentives and lower utility costs, the number of companies embarking on the installation of solar photovoltaic systems in their businesses is increasing. But while the incentives help sweeten the budget, companies remain concerned about the reliability of wind and solar power: what if there’s no wind or a cloudy day?
The battery energy storage systems they offer businesses the opportunity to achieve cost savings like never before. Combined with renewable energy, they can benefit from significant tax credits and allow the solar energy they produce to be stored during the day and used at night, when grid energy is more expensive. This balances the demand on the power supply network.
Battery energy storage systems, perhaps most appealing to users with mission-critical operations, enable businesses to overcome common short-term brownouts and outages.
Local energy storage can also improve overall grid stability, which is a benefit to the community in general. The increased stability and load leveling allows utilities to meet periods of peak demand without having to commission more carbon-intensive generation assets, thereby reducing overall emissions.
As with wind and solar PV, the cost of battery storage is falling rapidly and this trend is expected to continue.
3. Micro-grids with renewable energy.
The world depends on technology more than ever, and businesses, hospitals and emergency service providers are constantly preparing for the possibility of a prolonged outage due to extreme weather events or a cyberattack on our infrastructure. of public services. Businesses today have many more options than installing conventional standby diesel generators, which require a lot of maintenance and yield little profit under normal conditions.
With the reduced cost of PV, storage, and fast-acting control systems, businesses can now benefit from microgrids.
A microgrid is a limited geographical area that can operate independently from the power grid. wider during a break. They can be configured in different ways with a combination of energy sources, such as renewable energy, battery energy storage and fuel-powered generators.
Under normal conditions, a microgrid is usually connected to the larger power grid, from which it benefits by providing additional capacity, stabilization and reduction of emissions. Microgrid owners benefit from reduced energy bills, renewable energy credits and, increasingly, incentives from local power companies.
In times of power grid failure, the microgrid becomes its own island, ensuring the continuity of operations and the overall resilience of its owners.
Integrating a microgrid into a company’s infrastructure requires a holistic approach to energy planning and resilience. But with the right partnerships and economies of scale, companies are realizing that deploying renewable-powered microgrids can be much more cost-effective than going two separate paths of renewable energy and backup generators, building by building. There are many affordable designs available and organizations willing to provide capital and design expertise to develop successful projects.
Sustainable energy for business is more profitable than often thought.