How to increase commercial solar PV efficiency.
Introduction
The UK has seen a massive increase in commercial solar panel installations over the last 20 years. This is mainly due to the introduction of the Feed-in Tarriff (FIT) in 2010 – an incentive that paid businesses and homeowners for any electricity produced by renewables as well as an additional export payment.
The FiT closed to new applicants in 2019, but solar adoption is still rising. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) has replaced the FiT, and every year panels are becoming cheaper and more efficient.
Most panels installed in the 2010’s were 290W, but businesses can now replace old solar panels with 450W panels to almost double generation capacity.
Commercial solar panel upgrades can improve your ROI while supporting sustainability goals. However, many businesses are not sure where to start. We’ll cover how you can increase your solar PV output in this blog.
Why upgrade commercial solar panels?
Your commercial solar efficiency can be improved as technology has come a long way since 2010. Newer solar panels are better at using sunlight to produce energy, even if you replace old PV panels with like-for-like capacity.
In addition, exposure to the weather and general wear and tear can affect the panel output. If your panels haven’t been maintained or cleaned properly, it can also be more worthwhile replacing them. Some newer models are also more resistant to dust and wear and tear.
New PV panels can take up the same or only slightly more roof space while being more efficient in their output. Often a solar panel upgrade will reduce your maintenance costs. Newer panels and inverters are lower maintenance generally, and can be installed with remote monitoring and bird mesh to reduce the need for check-ups.
290W vs 450W panels
Many older systems still use 240W or 290W panels. As technology has improved, with only a small increase in roof space needed, businesses can now get almost double the generation with a 450W panel.
One of our clients made this change. They used all of their generated electricity in their day-to-day processes, often needing to supplement with grid energy. Unfortunately, they did not have much excess roof space for any more panels.
Given the cost of the energy taken from the grid over 25 years outweighed the cost of replacing the system, they came to us.
Replacing their 233 290W panels, with 233 450W panels took their generation from 67.57kW to 104.85kW. Now in a year they generate an additional 37,280kW per year, saving them over £10,000 in energy bills compared to typical grid rates.
How to upgrade your solar panels
If you want to benefit from solar panel upgrades, you can follow the same process we used for our client.
- Firstly, you need to review the performance of your current system. Check your records for when the system was installed, and take a look at the system’s current performance to work out how efficiently it is working. You may need a specialist to check the condition of your inverters and wiring. Using an thermal drone you can also see if your panels have any hotspots, which will tell you if they are damaged.
- You’ll need to look at the condition of your roof next. This may determine the weight of a system you can install. You may not be utilising all the roof space you could either, as conditions such as shading may have changed since you installed your system. The mounting also needs checking – you may need to upgrade this.
- A qualified installer of your choice will carry out a technical survey and provide a system design.
- They will then come to site to remove your old panels and install new panels. If your roof needs some minor upgrades before the system install, Carbon3 can remedy this at the same time.
- The old panels will then be disposed of by your installer, as these can’t go to landfill. 95% of the panel can be recycled, but only through specific processes, so they need to be recycled responsibly. If the installer you are using cannot prove they recycle panels properly, they may be illegally dumping them.
- Now you have your new panels installed, add remote monitoring or operations and maintenance (O&M) packages. Remote monitoring means you can keep an eye on the efficiency of your panels, and call out an O&M engineer if there are any sudden dips. O&M packages can cover annual check-ups and emergency call outs.
What happens to the old panels?
There are few solar recycling centres, as there hasn’t been much need for these facilities until recently. This is because most solar panels last 20 to 30 years.
The EU’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations cover solar panels, even after Brexit. These regulations call for specific electronic equipment to be recycled.
As many components of solar panels are readily recyclable, installers must work with a specialist recycler to ensure that the panels are dismantled correctly, and valuable materials are kept to be transformed into other things.
At Carbon3, we have a recycling partner who provide WEEE compliant panel disposal, and provide you with documentation for ESG and sustainability reporting.
Why now is the time
The cost of energy from the grid is high, and may keep increasing as the global energy market remains volatile. Your new panels could almost double your energy generation, lowering your dependence on the grid. Every day you wait is more money your business could be saving.
The typical ROI for new panels is 4-5 years, giving you an additional 20-26 years of saving on your energy bills. This means your business can essentially “fix” their energy bills lower than grid rates for 30 years.
New EPC rating laws are coming into effect over the next 5 years, so your commercial building needs to be EPC rated B by 2030. New, more efficient solar panels can future-proof your business against this legislation.
New panels are easier to connect to other technologies such as battery storage or EV chargers. Battery storage retains any spare electricity generated by your panels to be used when you need it. If your business only runs 5 or 6 days a week, the extra day or two of electricity generated can be used rather than sent back to the grid, saving you money.
FAQs on solar panel upgrades for commercial sites
Some popular questions about commercial solar upgrades include:
Q: “Will upgrading interrupt business operations?”
We can avoid solar upgrade downtime by working around your business hours to install. That way you can stay operational the whole time.
Q: “How long does a typical commercial upgrade take?”
Every upgrade is different. This will depend on your roof type, how many panels are going up, and plenty of other considerations. Contact us to find out how long your installation could take.
Q: “Do I need new permissions to upgrade?”
If you are a leaseholder, you will need the freeholder’s permission to remove or install new panels. If you need help with getting your landlord on board, we have a blog on this topic, and if you reach out to us we can help.
If you are the freeholder, most solar panel installations fall under permitted development, rather than needing full planning permission. As you have panels already and are only looking to upgrade your system, it will very likely only need permitted development.
Conclusion
Many early solar panel adoptees are not getting the most generation possible for their roof space. Upgrading to newer panels can increase a business’s generation by removing damaged or inefficient panels with new, efficient panels.
A typical ROI for upgraded panels is less than 5 years, leaving you with over 25 years of energy savings.
Responsible solar panel disposal is important – your business could be fined if this isn’t carried out correctly.
Speak to Carbon3 today to arrange a free commercial solar upgrade consultation and get more out of your roofs.
Introduction
The UK has seen a massive increase in commercial solar panel installations over the last 20 years. This is mainly due to the introduction of the Feed-in Tarriff (FIT) in 2010 – an incentive that paid businesses and homeowners for any electricity produced by renewables as well as an additional export payment.
The FiT closed to new applicants in 2019, but solar adoption is still rising. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) has replaced the FiT, and every year panels are becoming cheaper and more efficient.
Most panels installed in the 2010’s were 290W, but businesses can now replace old solar panels with 450W panels to almost double generation capacity.
Commercial solar panel upgrades can improve your ROI while supporting sustainability goals. However, many businesses are not sure where to start. We’ll cover how you can increase your solar PV output in this blog.
Why upgrade commercial solar panels?
Your commercial solar efficiency can be improved as technology has come a long way since 2010. Newer solar panels are better at using sunlight to produce energy, even if you replace old PV panels with like-for-like capacity.
In addition, exposure to the weather and general wear and tear can affect the panel output. If your panels haven’t been maintained or cleaned properly, it can also be more worthwhile replacing them. Some newer models are also more resistant to dust and wear and tear.
New PV panels can take up the same or only slightly more roof space while being more efficient in their output. Often a solar panel upgrade will reduce your maintenance costs. Newer panels and inverters are lower maintenance generally, and can be installed with remote monitoring and bird mesh to reduce the need for check-ups.
290W vs 450W panels
Many older systems still use 240W or 290W panels. As technology has improved, with only a small increase in roof space needed, businesses can now get almost double the generation with a 450W panel.
One of our clients made this change. They used all of their generated electricity in their day-to-day processes, often needing to supplement with grid energy. Unfortunately, they did not have much excess roof space for any more panels.
Given the cost of the energy taken from the grid over 25 years outweighed the cost of replacing the system, they came to us.
Replacing their 233 290W panels, with 233 450W panels took their generation from 67.57kW to 104.85kW. Now in a year they generate an additional 37,280kW per year, saving them over £10,000 in energy bills compared to typical grid rates.
How to upgrade your solar panels
If you want to benefit from solar panel upgrades, you can follow the same process we used for our client.
- Firstly, you need to review the performance of your current system. Check your records for when the system was installed, and take a look at the system’s current performance to work out how efficiently it is working. You may need a specialist to check the condition of your inverters and wiring. Using an thermal drone you can also see if your panels have any hotspots, which will tell you if they are damaged.
- You’ll need to look at the condition of your roof next. This may determine the weight of a system you can install. You may not be utilising all the roof space you could either, as conditions such as shading may have changed since you installed your system. The mounting also needs checking – you may need to upgrade this.
- A qualified installer of your choice will carry out a technical survey and provide a system design.
- They will then come to site to remove your old panels and install new panels. If your roof needs some minor upgrades before the system install, Carbon3 can remedy this at the same time.
- The old panels will then be disposed of by your installer, as these can’t go to landfill. 95% of the panel can be recycled, but only through specific processes, so they need to be recycled responsibly. If the installer you are using cannot prove they recycle panels properly, they may be illegally dumping them.
- Now you have your new panels installed, add remote monitoring or operations and maintenance (O&M) packages. Remote monitoring means you can keep an eye on the efficiency of your panels, and call out an O&M engineer if there are any sudden dips. O&M packages can cover annual check-ups and emergency call outs.
What happens to the old panels?
There are few solar recycling centres, as there hasn’t been much need for these facilities until recently. This is because most solar panels last 20 to 30 years.
The EU’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations cover solar panels, even after Brexit. These regulations call for specific electronic equipment to be recycled.
As many components of solar panels are readily recyclable, installers must work with a specialist recycler to ensure that the panels are dismantled correctly, and valuable materials are kept to be transformed into other things.
At Carbon3, we have a recycling partner who provide WEEE compliant panel disposal, and provide you with documentation for ESG and sustainability reporting.
Why now is the time
The cost of energy from the grid is high, and may keep increasing as the global energy market remains volatile. Your new panels could almost double your energy generation, lowering your dependence on the grid. Every day you wait is more money your business could be saving.
The typical ROI for new panels is 4-5 years, giving you an additional 20-26 years of saving on your energy bills. This means your business can essentially “fix” their energy bills lower than grid rates for 30 years.
New EPC rating laws are coming into effect over the next 5 years, so your commercial building needs to be EPC rated B by 2030. New, more efficient solar panels can future-proof your business against this legislation.
New panels are easier to connect to other technologies such as battery storage or EV chargers. Battery storage retains any spare electricity generated by your panels to be used when you need it. If your business only runs 5 or 6 days a week, the extra day or two of electricity generated can be used rather than sent back to the grid, saving you money.
FAQs on solar panel upgrades for commercial sites
Some popular questions about commercial solar upgrades include:
Q: “Will upgrading interrupt business operations?”
We can avoid solar upgrade downtime by working around your business hours to install. That way you can stay operational the whole time.
Q: “How long does a typical commercial upgrade take?”
Every upgrade is different. This will depend on your roof type, how many panels are going up, and plenty of other considerations. Contact us to find out how long your installation could take.
Q: “Do I need new permissions to upgrade?”
If you are a leaseholder, you will need the freeholder’s permission to remove or install new panels. If you need help with getting your landlord on board, we have a blog on this topic, and if you reach out to us we can help.
If you are the freeholder, most solar panel installations fall under permitted development, rather than needing full planning permission. As you have panels already and are only looking to upgrade your system, it will very likely only need permitted development.
Conclusion
Many early solar panel adoptees are not getting the most generation possible for their roof space. Upgrading to newer panels can increase a business’s generation by removing damaged or inefficient panels with new, efficient panels.
A typical ROI for upgraded panels is less than 5 years, leaving you with over 25 years of energy savings.
Responsible solar panel disposal is important – your business could be fined if this isn’t carried out correctly.
Speak to Carbon3 today to arrange a free commercial solar upgrade consultation and get more out of your roofs.