Let’s get the lowdown on photo voltaic panels for companies.
What’s nice about them, how they work and tips on how to make them go well with your enterprise.
You need to use this web page to begin your organization’s photo voltaic story. In flip, photo voltaic will assist to make your vitality be just right for you. It’s going to get your enterprise prepared for the longer term – and doubtless brighten your financial institution steadiness too.
So, let’s pop on our shades and take a look at:
The advantages of economic photo voltaic panels
There are a great deal of cool causes to heat as much as photo voltaic. There are monetary causes, advertising causes, all kinds. Let’s have a more in-depth look.
Purpose #1 – You generate a few of your individual energy, quite than shopping for it from a provider. So, your enterprise’ photo voltaic panels prevent cash.
Image the scene. The solar rises over your enterprise. You’re feeling its heat by way of the window as you sip your first tea of the day. Then, you look over to your photo voltaic panels. You see them bathing within the daylight. You make this face: 🤑 In the present day’s going to be a very good day.
Why? As a result of all of that daylight is popping into vitality for your enterprise to make use of. At no cost. Which implies you don’t need to spend cash on importing that electrical energy from the grid.
And hey – you would possibly even be capable to flip a few of that energy into some revenue …
Purpose #2 – What you are promoting can earn cash by promoting your extra photo voltaic vitality.
When your photo voltaic panels generate vitality, it first goes in the direction of powering your enterprise. However, you may need some leftover as soon as all of your home equipment have had their fill.
So, why not make some revenue on it? All you want is a enterprise export tariff, like Panel Energy or Form Shifters: Export. They offer you cash for each unit of vitality you export.
When you’ve joined an export tariff, there’s nothing else you want to do. Critically, simply seize a sandwich and put your ft up. Your provider will know if you happen to’ve bought extra vitality and routinely promote it for you.
Purpose #3 – Customers like inexperienced manufacturers. Photo voltaic panels make your enterprise greener. Soooo, prospects such as you extra 💚
We predict caring concerning the atmosphere is cool. Which implies most individuals are cool too. As a result of they like shopping for issues from greener manufacturers.
7 in 10 customers say a enterprise’ sustainability credentials affect whether or not they use them. Producing your individual energy places you proper within the cool credentials class.
When you’ve bought your photo voltaic panels, we encourage you to shout about them. Pop some pics in your web site. Brag about them in your sustainability experiences. Exhibit to your Gran. Write a track about them (🎸Talkin’ bout your technology 🎸). Do no matter you fancy.
Individuals will like it.
How photo voltaic panels work for companies
We’ve established that businesess with photo voltaic panels are tremendous cool and tremendous intelligent 😎 Now let’s discuss a bit extra concerning the panels themselves.
How do photo voltaic panels really work?
Photo voltaic panels are a kind of low-carbon know-how (LCT). Meaning they assist to minimise the quantity of carbon you utilize in working your enterprise.
Let’s get into the element of how they work:
How do photo voltaic panels match into my present business vitality setup?
They go collectively like ice and lemonade on a sunny day 😋
You’re producing vitality on-site. So, there’s simply much less electrical energy coming in by way of your meter. As an alternative, a few of it comes straight out of your panels into your constructing.
There is no want to alter your setup. All of the elements – your meter, your cables, your fusebox – carry on working as regular.
(The one exception is when you’ve got a great deal of totally different LCTs. On this case, you would possibly must improve your setup to 1 with greater capability. Your installers will let you know if you happen to ever want to do that.)
In relation to promoting your energy, your meter performs a extra essential function
Simply because it measures the import (the facility coming into your enterprise), it additionally wants to have the ability to measure export (the facility going out). It routinely sends this data to your provider so we all know how a lot to pay you.
Sensible meters are constructed to deal with each import and export. Should you don’t have a wise meter but, Octopus prospects can improve at no additional value.
Putting in photo voltaic panels for your enterprise
We’ve talked concerning the professionals of panels and the way they work. On this part, we’re trying on the practicalities of putting in them.
How do I get photo voltaic panels for my enterprise?
The precise course of varies relying on the place you get them from. However right here’s the way it tends to work:
Step 1 – Organize a session with an installer 💬
They’ll ask you about your property, your vitality setup and the way you utilize your energy. Be ready to reply questions on issues like:
- your constructing supplies
- your roof house
- whether or not something close by blocks your daylight
Step 2 – Evaluation their design and quote 📝
They’ll come again to you with a proposal in your panels. It’ll present the place your set up will go, how a lot energy they’ll produce, and what permissions and permits you’ll want (if any).
It will include a quote too. It’ll element how a lot the entire set up will value. Usually, the installer breaks this down into issues like value of supplies, scaffolding rent and constructing charges.
Take a little bit of time to determine whether or not this quote is best for you. As with every funding, it’s value getting just a few totally different choices to check. And don’t be afraid to ask the installers a lot of questions.
Step 3 – Panel set up time 🔧
As soon as every part’s agreed, it’s time to put in. The time this takes can vary from just a few days to some weeks. It depends upon the scale and specifics of your set up.
Step 4 – Technology is go🚦
Your panels are put up, wired in and able to begin producing electrical energy. You can begin utilizing the facility they produce from day one.
How do I register my enterprise’ photo voltaic panels?
If you wish to promote your vitality, you’ll must register your panels with the native vitality community. This will get you linked as much as the grid. So, you can begin exporting vitality and getting paid. It additionally means the native community can get able to obtain what you’re exporting.
Begin by contacting your native Distribution Community Operator. They’ll let you realize their particular course of and what they want from you.
Do Octopus set up photo voltaic panels for companies?
Sure – in some circumstances. Take a look at GreenWorks to see what we provide.
How lengthy does it take for photo voltaic panels to pay themselves off?
5-10 years. That’s the quick reply.
The lengthy reply is that it varies. It depends upon issues just like the capability of your panels, the place your enterprise is and the way a lot vitality it makes use of. 5-10 years is an efficient estimate. However, it is value asking your installer as a part of the quote course of.
Should you change to a enterprise export tariff, that payback time will likely be shorter. That is since you’ll be incomes cash in your extra vitality.
Which is the best enterprise export tariff for me?
So, you’ve bought your panels working and registered. Now, the proper export tariff is the final piece of the puzzle. Let’s discover …
Evaluating and selecting the very best enterprise export tariff
Totally different suppliers supply totally different choices. All of them range in export fee – i.e. the amount of cash you get per unit of electrical energy you export.
At Octopus, we now have two terrific tariffs to go well with various kinds of companies. Panel Energy provides you a assured fee of 12p for each unit of vitality you promote to the grid. Form Shifters: Export gives charges that rise and fall all through the day. Right here’s a bit extra data to check them each:
PANEL
POWER
The export tariff designed for companies with photo voltaic panels. We pay you a flat fee of 12p for each unit of electrical energy you ship to the grid.
Discover out extra
SHAPE SHIFTERS: EXPORT
The UK’s most dynamic enterprise export tariff. Charges change each half-hour, in step with wholesale vitality prices. So, you possibly can retailer up your energy and promote it when costs are highest.
Discover out extra
This is a chart evaluating the costs of Form Shifters: Export and Panel Energy
It is taken from a sunny day in July 2025.
Panel Energy gives a assured 12p for the entire 24 hours. Form Shifters: Export has extra variation, together with a a lot greater peak. At 7.30pm, prospects can promote their vitality for 26.55p per unit.
Which is the best export tariff for me?
In relation to selecting, this straightforward query will provide help to determine. Do you could have battery storage, photo voltaic panels or each?
What’s battery storage?
I solely have photo voltaic panels
×
Panel Energy is made for companies like yours. You get a easy flat export fee of 12p, all day. So you possibly can revenue in your energy, it doesn’t matter what time you produce it.
That stated, Form Shifters: Export can work too. You aren’t getting a assured fee like Panel Energy. However, there’s potential for greater returns at totally different factors of the day.
I solely have battery storage
×
Form Shifters: Export will work finest for you. It provides you charges that change in step with wholesale prices. So, you possibly can prepare to export your battery’s extra vitality when costs peak (usually 4-7pm).
I’ve photo voltaic panels and battery storage
×
Form Shifters: Export is the one for you. You possibly can retailer up your energy in your battery. Do that totally free utilizing energy out of your panels. Or, when costs are low by utilizing Form Shifters in your import.
Then, you possibly can promote your energy on the highest fee, making a helpful revenue.
You possibly can change to an Octopus enterprise export tariff now
Simply head to the Panel Energy or Form Shifters: Export pages to enroll.
There are different business export tariffs obtainable too
Plenty of suppliers additionally supply the Sensible Export Assure (SEG). It is a government-backed scheme to verify folks receives a commission for his or her extra photo voltaic vitality. The Octopus model of SEG pays you 3p per unit of electrical energy you export.
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So, there you could have it. The whole lot you want to begin your photo voltaic story.
With all of this data, you possibly can say helio to solar energy. And see how it may be a star. Aka the life and sol of your enterprise.
If you would like to talk to a member of our workforce, get in contact. We would be blissful to speak extra about your photo voltaic choices at Octopus.
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