Power up your Solar ROI with energy insights and monitoring

Has your organisation invested in commercial solar panels, or are you thinking of deploying solar power? If so, you may be considering further ways to capitalise on your investment.

You may already be adapting your energy strategy to meet the challenges your business faces today. As such, objective tracking of your assets’ cost and performance is likely becoming more important. Without this objective data, you could face extra pressure on your bottom line, complicating your budget amid rising costs.

Energy monitoring and insights could help you to clarify your energy picture. With this advanced technology, you can optimise your strategy, thus yielding impressive cost- and carbon-saving benefits. In addition, helping to extend capital plant lifespan could accelerate your expected return on investment (ROI) from any solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or CHP system. Read on to find out how your business could make the most of commercial solar power.

1. Accurately track your electricity demand

The benefits of energy monitoring and insights can begin right from the beginning of your solar system’s lifetime. Our integrated energy management platform, PowerRadar™, can help you track your organisation's electricity demand. With real-time alerts and reporting, you'll be able to view energy usage for your whole site (or more). This can help you to identify opportunities to cut wastage and reduce your total energy demand.

Lowering your usage naturally means that you’ll need to draw less energy from the grid. You’ll be able to meet more of your total demand via your solar system, giving you more stable prices and more accurate forecasts. And if you invested via capital sale, this could even help to reduce your solar system’s payback period.

If you haven’t invested in solar power yet, tracking your energy usage could help your business too. Reduced usage means you’ll need a smaller system, with a 25% reduction resulting in a roughly 25% smaller solar system. As a result, you’ll be able to lower your upfront costs and free up your budget to invest elsewhere in your business.

2. Identify how to reduce reliance on grid supply

Energy efficiency is on the agenda for many organisations. For some, energy monitoring can deliver quick wins and effective short-term savings. But beyond this, progress can stall without a more granular view of energy usage.

With device-level insights, you can track exactly how much energy you’re using – and where. PowerRadar™ can give you a detailed view of where and when you could reduce your energy usage. By uncovering opportunities to cut back on wastage, you can make sure that you’re only using the energy you really need.

When you pair this with commercial solar power, you can transform your energy strategy even further, with dual benefits. Bringing your energy generation onsite means you'll reduce your reliance on grid supply. This shields you from volatile electricity prices. So, if you're also tracking your energy demand, you'll know you're paying the right price for the right amount of electricity.

Furthermore, tracking your solar system can also bolster your sustainability credentials. Meeting your energy demand with solar will reduce your reliance on carbon-intensive grid supply. It'll also mean you're replacing it with a 100% renewable source of electricity - helping you to transition to a net zero future.

So, combining energy efficiency and solar delivers double benefits over your system’s 25+ year lifetime:

• Lower energy consumption bills and operating expenses, improving your bottom line
• Lower reliance on carbon-intensive grid supply, bolstering your sustainability credentials

3. Take a holistic approach to your solar-powered future

If you’re considering commercial solar power, or if you're looking to power up your investment, we can help.

Centrica have over 200 years’ experience as leaders in the energy sector. We design, install and maintain multidisciplined integrated energy solutions, including major infrastructure projects.

We take a holistic approach, and will audit your energy estate to identify where you could make savings. We'll then create a comprehensive, data-led energy efficiency plan – or, alternatively, a full net zero pathway report. This will inform the design of your commercial solar project. So, from the very start, you'll know your system is designed to meet your unique requirements.

Our team of solar experts would be happy to talk to you about your site’s needs, and the future of your energy estate. Contact us today to discuss how you can deliver a strong return on your solar investment.