Lower electricity bills: Solar energy can offset electricity purchases from your utility company. 

Net metering: Some utility companies allow you to sell any excess energy back to the grid. Whether you get a credit on your electricity bill or a check from the utility company, it can help offset the cost of your solar installation.

Tax incentives: The federal government and many states offer tax incentives for homeowners and businesses that install solar panels to help offset the upfront cost of installation and improve affordability.

Increased property value: Solar panels can increase the value of your building and or property. According to studies, buildings with solar panels sell for more than buildings without them.

Overall, solar power can save money by reducing your electricity bills, providing credits or payments for excess energy production, offering tax incentives, and increasing the value of your building.
 

Cash purchase: If you have capital to invest, purchasing the solar system outright may be the most cost-effective option in the long run. You can finance it with cash or use a business loan, and you will own the solar panels and the energy they produce.

Power Purchase Agreement (PPA): You can purchase the solar energy produced by a third-party solar company at a fixed rate for a set period. This option can provide cost savings on your energy bills without requiring an upfront investment.

Solar loans: Many financial institutions offer loans specifically for solar energy projects. These are a great way to finance a solar system while retaining ownership of the equipment and the energy produced. 

Land/roof lease: In some states, developers may be interested in leasing your land or roof, making an annual payment to install solar panels for a fixed period. They would then either sell solar electricity back to the utility or to a third party through a virtual community solar program. The developer would pay you a fixed lease payment each year for the use of your property. 
 

The cost of maintaining a solar system can vary depending on various factors, like the type of system, its size, location, and the level of maintenance required. Here are some of the common maintenance costs associated with solar systems:

Cleaning: Depending on location and environment, they may need periodic cleaning to remove dirt and debris that can decrease their efficiency. That cost can vary depending on the size and accessibility of the panels.

Inverter maintenance: The inverter is a critical component of a solar system, and it may require periodic maintenance, repairs, or replacement over the lifetime of the system.

Electrical maintenance: The electrical components of a solar system, including wiring and connections, may require regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance and safety.

Monitoring: Many solar systems come with monitoring systems that track energy production and performance. Monitoring services can provide valuable data on the performance of the system and may require an additional cost.

Overall, the cost of maintaining a solar system can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per year, depending on the size and complexity of the system. 

However, it is important to note that a well-maintained solar system can provide significant cost savings on energy bills over its lifetime, making it a worthwhile investment for many businesses. In a third-party PPA financing structure, these costs would be covered by the developer or owner/operator of the solar array. 
 

Energy cost savings: Start seeing significant cost savings on energy bills. By generating your own electricity with a solar system, you can reduce or even eliminate your dependence on the grid and save money over the lifespan of the system.

Incentives and rebates: Many governments, utilities, and other organizations offer financial incentives, rebates, and tax credits for businesses that invest in solar to help offset the upfront cost of a solar system and improve affordability.

Environmental benefits: Solar energy is a clean, renewable source of energy that does not produce harmful emissions or contribute to climate change. 

Energy security: Enhance your energy security and reduce dependence on the grid, which can be vulnerable to outages and other disruptions.

Competitive advantage: Demonstrate your commitment to innovation, sustainability, and social responsibility.

While it is possible that the cost of solar technology could decrease in the future, consider the potential benefits and cost savings you can realize by investing in solar now. The potential for savings with solar energy can offset the initial cost of installation over time, and the benefits of solar technology extend beyond simple economic considerations.
 

Reduced electricity costs: By generating electricity onsite, a building with solar panels can reduce its reliance on the grid and potentially lower its electricity bills.

Increased energy independence: By generating its own electricity, a building with solar panels can become more independent from the grid, which is particularly useful in areas with unreliable or expensive electricity supplies.

Improved resilience: In the United States, when there’s a power outage or other grid disruption, a building with onsite solar, coupled with onsite battery storage, can continue to operate critical systems like lighting, security, and communications.

Green credentials: A building with onsite solar can demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint, which can project a commitment to the environment.

Maintenance and monitoring: Ensuring solar panels are functioning optimally may involve regular inspections, cleaning, and maintenance. Additionally, they will need to monitor the solar production and load management, interfacing it with the energy management systems.

Integration with other building systems: The addition of solar to a building’s energy mix may require integration with other building systems, such as energy storage and load management, to ensure the best use of the electricity produced.

Overall, onsite solar can offer many benefits for building operations, including cost savings, energy independence, improved resilience, green credentials, and opportunities for system integration. However, careful planning and monitoring are necessary to ensure optimal performance and system integration.

Solar panels generate electricity when exposed to sunlight. When there is no sunlight, solar panels cannot produce electricity on their own.

To provide electricity when there is no sunlight, solar energy systems can be paired with energy storage systems, such as batteries, which can store excess electricity generated during the day for use at night or during periods of low sunlight. 

Another option for providing electricity is a hybrid system, which combines solar energy with other renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro or geothermal energy or traditional sources such as natural gas or diesel generators. This approach can provide a more reliable and consistent supply of electricity.

Whether or not solar panels can power a building during a grid outage depends on the type of solar energy system installed.

If a building has a grid-tied solar energy system without any energy storage capability, the system will not be able to power the building during a grid outage. This is because grid-tied solar systems are designed to feed excess electricity back into the grid and do not have the ability to store electricity for later use.

However, if a building has a solar energy system with battery storage capability, then the solar panels can power the building during a grid outage. During normal operation, the solar panels generate electricity and charge the battery, which can be used to power the building when the grid is down.

It’s important to note that not all solar energy systems are designed to operate independently of the grid, so if you are considering installing a solar energy system with battery storage, you should consult with a qualified solar installer to ensure that the system is designed to meet your specific needs.
 

Going solar for your operation typically involves several steps, which may vary depending on your specific needs and location. Here’s a general overview of the process:

Assess your energy needs: The first step is determining your energy consumption and what portion of it you want to offset with solar power so your system will meet your needs.

Evaluate your site: The next step is determining your site’s solar potential by analyzing factors like the orientation and tilt of your roof or the available space for ground-mounted solar panels.

Design your system: Based on your energy needs and site evaluation, a solar contractor or engineer will design a system that meets your requirements. 

Obtain permits and approvals: You may need to obtain permits and approvals from your local government or utility company. It’s important to note that the process and timeline to develop a ground mount vs. rooftop solar array is different and dependent on a variety of local and state regulations. 

Install your system: With the necessary permits and approvals, your solar system can be installed on your roof or on the ground by installing the inverters and other components and finally connecting the system to your electrical panel.

Monitor and maintain your system: After your system is installed, it’s important to monitor its performance to ensure operational efficiency. This may involve regularly checking your solar production and addressing any maintenance issues that arise.

Some of the factors driving the adoption of solar technology as a clean energy source include:

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions: Solar energy systems do not emit any greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide, etc.) that contribute to climate change. Using solar energy can reduce reliance on fossil fuels, which is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

Reduced air pollution: The generation of electricity from fossil fuels can result in air pollution that can negatively impact human health. Solar energy systems do not produce any air pollutants, which can help improve air quality and reduce the health risks associated with air pollution.

Reduced water usage: The production of electricity from fossil fuels requires large amounts of water for cooling purposes. Solar energy systems do not require any water for power generation, which can help reduce the strain on water resources.

Reduced land use impacts: Large-scale solar farms can be installed on degraded or otherwise unusable land, such as landfills or former mining sites, reducing the need to develop pristine land for energy production.

Reduced reliance on non-renewable resources: Solar energy is a renewable energy source that relies on the power of the sun, which will continue to be available for billions of years. This reduces the reliance on finite non-renewable resources, such as coal, oil and natural gas.

Renewable Energy Strategy Assessment: Explore whether onsite solar and/or other renewable options will work for your organization.  

Onsite Solar Assessment: Get specific about what an onsite solar installation at your organization could look like. Our team of experts determine the feasibility of installing solar panels at your facility, including: 

• Preliminary layout design
• Production estimates 
• Modeled projections of the economics for a solar panel program for your unique needs  

Particularly useful for multisite operations, this detailed assessment includes a preliminary solar layout, a solar production analysis, an economic analysis for a solar project unique to each situation, as well as an overview of how pertinent local incentives may influence the value of solar for a given market.

A modeled projection of economics will show how much you can expect to save on energy costs and when you can expect to see financial payback. With tangible insights from our team, decision-makers will understand the full impact a proposed project would have on your operation.

Solar managed services: If onsite solar will work for your facility, World Kinect can help you get a project off the ground (or on your roof) from start to finish. After a site review and high-level assessment, we provide preliminary layout designs and production estimates, along with a detailed projection of the economics involved to help you assess the payback and savings.  

From buy-in with key stakeholders to choosing the right solar developer for a particular situation, World Kinect oversees the entire development process and is compensated by a success fee paid by the selected developer. 

A few customers (typically, municipalities and education) will always need custom RFP proposals. But most of our customers opt for the faster-to-market deployment of their project, where we match the best developer for their project from our vetted Preferred Network.