Being produced by the sun, solar energy can be harnessed like any other type of energy. Solar energy is free, renewable, and environmentally-friendly. More business owners realize the amount of savings that solar energy brings, and they are using it in newer and more significant w

Benefits of Solar Systems to Businesses Costs go up as the demand for energy rises and non-renewable resources shrink. Events beyond your control can cause sudden spikes in energy prices, which puts unnecessary stress on your business. Installing solar power can reduce or even eliminate your exposure to the rise in electricity rates. Your energy usage portion that's generated by your solar system is no longer subject to short- or long-term increases in electricity rates. The more prices rise, the more significant your savings will be. When you use electricity the meter runs forward when you generate electricity it runs backwards. The more power generated by your solar panels, the more your electricity bill will be reduced.

As a business owner, one of the highest overhead costs you face is the cost of electricity. Being reliant on the commercial power grid means that you are subject to electric rate fluctuations. Sudden price increases add uncertainty to your business, especially to your cash flow management. Maybe it's time to lessen that load and look at how your business can benefit from solar panel installation.

Not that long ago, Eskom CEO Tshediso Matona said load shedding was "here to stay". Luckily, we're not currently suffering a "powerless" existence – but the increased electricity tariffs added to VAT and petrol price increase are pushing a lot of businesses to the brink. Load shedding is here to stay, unfortunately, and tariff increases will probably be around for a long time. Even though the Energy Minister Jeff Radebe has signed a renewable energy bill that government hopes will mitigate cost hikes, how this will affect us over the long run remains to be seen. For the peace of mind to you as a business owner to be able to operate even though there are load shedding or any other reason for a power outage, the cost of solar panels is worth it.

Another big reason why more and more businesses are moving to solar energy is that solar energy is renewable, clean and sustainable. For a lot of companies, being "green" and making environmentally-friendly decisions is essential to their business goals. With the use of solar energy to generate electricity, your company uses less fossil fuel which reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. When you switch to solar power, your company does its part to fight climate change and to reduce our country's dependence on foreign energy sources. Being a sustainable business can also be a positive public relations and marketing tool. Research shows that a growing number of consumers make their buying decisions based on companies' environmental responsibility.

Once they are installed, solar panels do not require a lot of maintenance and are very reliable. Unlike other energy sources, solar panels are not loud or obtrusive. Even though solar power can be affected by night, location, and weather, solar energy is abundant.

Nedbank released an Energy Efficiency Guide which will give you great insight into why solar energy for your business is the way to go.

You can read the guide herehere:

At Soleterra, the first step in getting your business to be energy efficient is by doing an energy audit to help you determine what solar design you should consider to put you on the path of significant savings for your business.

Contact Solterra to get started on your audit