Rooftop solar for businesses: Begone, huge energy bills
What if you could lock in your energy costs, and guarantee that you’d never have to absorb another electric rate increase? With solar, you can.
If you are considering solar for your business or nonprofit, the time is now! This low-maintenance, long-proven, clean, green technology can help take a big chunk out of your ever-increasing energy bills, but existing federal tax credits expire at the end of 2027. These credits reduce the up-front costs of solar by 30% or more, helping to make solar more accessible and reducing the payback period to roughly 10 years in most situations. Most solar is warrantied for 25 years: that means 10 years to recoup what you spent on installation, leaving another 15 years of clean, free energy from your own rooftop.
That means if you’re even a little bit solar-curious, clean-energy-curious, or cost-reduction- curious, it’s time to do something. Here are some quick ways to determine if solar will work for you.
Throughout Virginia, submit an inquiry to Switch Together, a program from long-time solar advocate Solar United Neighbors that makes solar available at a discount to both businesses and homeowners. They’ll help you quickly evaluate whether it’s worth it to join the program.
If you’re in Charlottesville or Albemarle, submit an inquiry to the Energy Resource Hub.
If you want more information first, reach out to C3, and we’ll do a quick remote assessment to determine if your building is a good candidate, and explain the basic process. We can also make referrals to trusted solar installers. Email: biz@theclimatecollaborative.org.
If you have no idea at all where to start, check out Solar United Neighbors Solar Help Desk for a quick orientation.
Some basic questions you’ll need to answer:
Who owns the building? If you rent, talk to your landlord about how a solar project might work, including how project costs and energy savings could be shared.
What type of roof do you have, and how old is it? Membrane, metal, shingle, and other roof types can all work with solar, but all should have at least 10 years of life left.
How much equipment is on the roof? Roofs that have multiple skylights, HVAC equipment, or other obstacles can make it more difficult to install solar.
How much sun exposure do you have? South-, southwest-, or southeast-facing roofs get the most sun exposure; flat roofs will require racking, which can be angled in any direction. Minimal shading (from trees, neighboring buildings, etc.) is ideal. Enter your address at Project Sunroof to get a quick idea of how much sun exposure your roof gets.
As you move forward, follow these golden rules from C3. Participating in Switch Together can allow you to skip steps 1 through 4 since the installer has already been vetted.
Choose a local installer who performs their own work - C3 can provide recommendations of installers that work in commercial settings.
Avoid companies that put on a hard sell and demand signatures immediately; door-to-door solar sales should be treated with caution.
Generally, get multiple quotes.
Compare prices, warranties, and local work history, and ask for references.
Check your price against the average - the current VA benchmark is $2.42 per watt, but ask your installer to do better!
Pair solar with energy efficiency measures (which nearly always have a quicker payback than solar) as part of a long-term reduction plan. C3 can help with this step too!
Protect your investment: Keep track of your energy usage to avoid erasing solar savings with increased use.
Remember! You have to move soon to take advantage of the 30% federal tax credit, and it only takes a little time to explore solar - your way of protecting yourself from ever-increasing energy costs.
Lastly, let’s be clear: solar is here to stay. The tax credits were always meant to be temporary and provide a boost to the industry at a time when it was needed most. The industry will regroup, solar costs will continue to come down, and as energy costs continue to rise, it will remain a vital clean energy solution for all.
