As per the ABC, Byron Bay based energy consultants SunWiz have released statistics that show solar for businesses is on a strong upward trend in Australia, with commercial solar installs up 60% in the last year and a half.
Solar for Businesses
The number of businesses installing solar panels onsite has reached 40,736 systems in the last year and a half over 2016 and 2017, according to Sunwiz MD Warwick Johnston. Johnston was also quoted on the ABC website as discussing the rising electricity prices as an impetus for more and more businesses to look into renewable energy so as to minimise exposure to the prices:
“It used to be electricity was comparably cheap for businesses when compared to residential electricity prices, but what we are seeing now is electricity prices for businesses really skyrocket and it’s started to become a significant expense.”
Business Solar Case Studies
Last year Infinite Energy installed a 312kW system at Broadway Fair Shopping Centre in Perth – with 948 solar panels and, according to Broadway Fair GM Paul Avon-Smith, saving the comple $20,000 per month in power bills. According to Aidan Jenkins of Infinite Energy, “Solar currently represents the cheapest way to generate electricity, so we will start to see these type of systems become the norm over the next couple of years.”
More recently, the Brisbane Aiport Solar System is set to top out at a massive 6MW (19,200 solar panels) when it is completed next year. The project is set to be worked on in five stages and is going to be created in conjunction with Epho and Shakra Energy. Oliver Hartley from Epho said, “The introduction of such a significant solar system is a prime example of how BAC is adopting world-leading technologies in harmony with its sustainability focus.”
Office supply company Complete Office Supplies’ private solar investment in June this year was a massive $1m in rooftop PV solar at their Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne warehouse locations (the 611MWh solar systems installed by Sun Connect and account for 80% of COS’ energy requirements).
