Commercial Solar

Energy bills continue to increase, along with the rising costs of supplies and services for your company. You need a way to save money without compromising your business processes. Solar technology has matured dramatically, proving to work with high reliability.

With lower power bills, your company’s bottom line can potentially grow even more.

Furthermore, going solar shows your brand’s commitment to sustainability and being a socially responsible commercial organisation. It helps boost the image of your business. Now is the best time to take advantage of solar power.

Easy Solar offers three packages that are suitable based on the size of your business and commercial property. Currently, we have:

  • 13.2 kW for small-sized businesses with an average annual electricity bill of $5,000 to $7,000. It can produce anywhere from 40 to 60 units daily, resulting in savings up to $4,000 yearly.
  • 26.4 kW for small to medium-sized businesses with an annual power bill of $10,000 to $12,000. It can produce 80 to 100 units daily, with yearly savings up to $12,000.
  • 34.6 kW for medium-sized businesses with yearly power consumption worth $15,000 to $18,000. It can deliver up to 170 units per day, with annual savings that can reach more than $20,000.

Please note that the above figures are for estimation purposes only.

We will design a system guaranteed to work for your building. All packages come with solar panels and an inverter. If you do not know which package to go for, we can help you decide by examining your present and previous power bills. Contact us for further assistance.

The direction of the solar panels will be determined by your location, how much sun you get, roof orientation, and environmental obstructions. Here is a comparison of the directions to let you know the best one for your commercial property:

  • North: All locations in the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia, will benefit from panels facing the north.
  • East or West: If your panels cannot face north, you can choose the east or west direction. You will, however, lose anywhere between 10 to 20 per cent of the panels’ efficiency. Nevertheless, they will still produce a good yield. We recommend going for a more north-west or north-east direction to increase sun exposure.
  • South: Unfortunately, south-facing panels generate the worst, so you may want to avoid this direction out of the available choices.

The good news is that those who are in Perth and Western Australia receive plenty of sunlight. The efficiency loss of south-facing panels is less than those who are in Sydney, Melbourne, and Hobart.

Another consideration to decide on before installing a commercial solar system is the number of panels. The available roof space will determine how many panels can be installed. Additionally, we will evaluate your energy usage to figure out the ideal number of solar panels and how much you can save.

Our biggest system at the moment is 34.6 kW, which can have a little bit more than 100 panels maximum. It can already generate over 120 kWh of power daily (yearly average). If consumed 100%, you can get $2,000+ monthly savings, which translates to over $24,000 of “free energy” all year round.

Easy Solar provides world-class panel options with at least 10 years warranty. They are designed to withstand the harsh Western Australian weather conditions.

As for our inverters, we only go for the most reputable brands around. They have a 10-year (5+5) minimum product warranty. Since businesses typically are three-phase properties, they require three-phase inverters. Additional three-phase inverter charges apply. Get all the details you need, including complete cost breakdowns as we build the best solar system for you.

Batteries are not a must, even for a residential setting. However, all businesses have different needs. It depends on the energy consumption of your building. If your company does have a critical need to store energy and get frequent backup power, batteries may be worth an investment.
Nevertheless, if your business is like other small and medium companies in Australia, we suggest that you save your money. Instead of batteries, you may want to invest in a bigger solar array, especially if you still have roof space.

Our Most Popular Packages

We have a range of solar packages for you to choose from. Choose from 13.2kW, 26.4kW & 34.6kW systems, depending on the size of your business.

13.2kw solar package commercial

13.2kW Commercial Solar Package

This package is ideal for small businesses looking to take advantage of solar power, offering yearly savings of around $4000. Supplied with a highly-rated 3-phase inverter from Fronius and top tier Risen solar panels, ensuring great efficiency for your solar installation.

Included in this package:

  • 10kW Fronius Symo 3 phase inverter
  • 40 x 330w Risen Solar Panels
  • Installation
26.4kw commercial solar package

26.4kW Commercial Solar Package

This package was designed with small and medium-sized businesses in mind, Coming with Risen Solar Panels and top quality Fronius 3-phase inverter for maximum efficiency and energy returns. Producing around 100 units a day, adding up to around $12,000 in annual savings.

Included in this package:

  • 20kW Fronius Symo 3 phase inverter
  • 80 x 330w Risen Solar Panels
  • Installation
commercial solar package 34.6kw

34.6kW Commercial Solar Package

For medium-sized Perth businesses, this package is ideal for the most long term savings. Coming with an outstanding Fronius inverter for best performance, teamed with high-quality Risen Solar Panels, this package will push your annual energy savings to around $20,000.

Included in this package:

  • 27kW Fronius Eco Inverter
  • 105 x 330w Risen Solar Panels
  • Installation

What Are the Requirements?

The amount of space you have in your roof is an essential criterion in deciding the final solar system design for your commercial property. It all depends on the size of the system you need. One panel can be about 1.70 metres x 1.00 metre. Therefore, you get about 1.7 square metres for each panel installed on the roof. It also means you need at least the same dimensions for the roof of your building.

However, you cannot simply place the number of panels that the roof can accommodate. It is essential to consider the wattage output (W) of each panel, which can be anywhere from 250W to 360W for the best efficiency.

To serve as your guide, we recommend that you have four panels with 250W capacity or three 330W for every one-kilowatt system. Therefore, if you wish to have a 13.2 kW system, you will need to install 40 to 55 solar panels. These panels need about 68 to 93.5 square metres of roof space. In contrast, residential properties often require 15 to 20 solar panels, which can take up to 34 square metres of roof space.

If roofing dimensions seem to be an issue, our experts will find a workaround. Typically, if the solar panels have high efficiency, you can go for the lower required number of panels.

Under the Building Act 2011 and Building Regulations 2012, getting a building permit for the installation of solar panels is required. There are a few exemptions, however. Certain regional areas in Western Australia may not need to provide a permit for a Class 10 building with solar panels. These areas do not include metropolitan locations.

All Class 1 and Class 10a buildings are not required to have a permit when attaching photovoltaic panels, as well as solar hot water systems. The exemption applies to structures in the wind region C and D under the Australian Standard 1170.2. Conversely, Class 1 and Class 10a buildings in cyclonic areas, along with Class 2 to 9 in all wind regions, will all need a building permit.

If the system is 30kW or larger, the network should approve the installation first. All systems connected to the grid have this requirement.

Easy Solar will have an installation team visiting the commercial property of the customer. From there, we will assess the location, its requirements, and the business’ electricity consumption. We will not install and connect the solar system unless the customer wholeheartedly agrees with the entire design.

In the installation process, the client must provide Easy Solar with uninterrupted access to the roof of the building before and during installation. We will give you an update, if necessary, in case of delays.

Clients have about 20 years of warranty on the solar system starting from the commissioning date. If the system turns out to be defective or may have been installed improperly, we will promptly rectify the situation. Our customers should report the issue right away and ensure that it is still within the warranty period.

Easy Solar offers maintenance services to clients. It will help ensure that the system remains in good working order.

Solar PV systems can get damaged due to abuse and improper service. If the maintenance or any task is not performed by Easy Solar, which resulted in the damage, the client should understand that it is outside our company’s responsibilities.

Typically, you should not be directly responsible for the damage to your network provider. However, the supply agreement with the grid retailer may hold you liable for the damages.

In the past, installing solar for companies required owners or operators to have the cash readily available. Another option is to secure the solar investment against the existing business. Commercial solar finance is still having a hard time gaining traction with many banks. However, large organisations, ANZ, offer solar financing packages.

It is possible to find an incredibly attractive offer. Today, solar is deemed as a smart investment for the business, as well as the environment. Financing rates can be as low as five per cent yearly. However, it should be secured against the company. Some banks are willing to offer unsecured financing with an eight to 11 per cent interest rate.

If your business has a lot of debt on your balance sheet, you can opt for a hire purchase agreement. Either way, you have the chance to benefit from zero out of pocket expenses with at least one to five years for the repayment.

Businesses that find it difficult to pay for the whole system can get the help they need with Easy Solar. We can assist you in choosing the best financing option for your commercial solar system.

Since July 2012, there has been a 12.6% rise in electricity bills in Western Australia. More increases will come along due to a few reasons, including the higher price of wholesale gas. Easy Solar provides the lowest-ever prices on the world’s leading brands.

You can get high-quality solar for $1,000 to $1,300 for every kilowatt installed. However, you can also have a 20 to 30 kW solar system for just $700 for every kW. The discount may be due to less engineering and network protection costs. If you use micro-inverters, you will need to add up to 20% more to the final price of the system. You can avoid the additional percentage by using a central or string inverter.

We make everything simple here at Easy Solar. Just call us, and you will know how much your solar system costs, together with a full breakdown of the related expenses.

COVID-19 Update: As part of the Economic Response to the Coronavirus, the Australian Government announced an economic stimulus worth $17.6 billion. It makes investments, such as commercial solar power, even more attractive, thanks to the tax deduction incentives. For more information, the Treasury has the rest of the details.

To get the most out of your solar system, it pays to invest in a product with monitoring capabilities. It should give you specific details about how much solar energy is generated. At the same time, it should help you compare your electricity consumption. You can later use these pieces of information to understand how you can lower your bills than before.

Businesses should have someone in their staff with the task of monitoring the solar system’s weekly generation. This way, it will be much easier to do comparison and evaluation.

If you are not careful, you can get trapped into thinking that generating energy close to your original consumption is enough. Here at Easy Solar, we want you to produce more so you get even more out of your investment. If a salesperson tells you that the system will generate about 200 kWh daily, your energy consumption of 150 kWh per day is more than enough. However, you will not even see a reduction in your bill.

With proper monitoring, you can check the gross consumption of your business throughout the day. You can then analyse it against the “after” contribution of solar after it has been installed on the premises.

Financial Viability

The feasibility of the system, specifically on the financial side of things, depends on the situation. However, businesses can expect a return of 15% per annum at the very least. They could get returns of more than 30%.

The small-scale technology certificates (STCs) scheme will be overhauled and even eliminated. When that time comes, the returns can be as low as 10%, although there is a considerable possibility that companies will retain the 15% yield.

The returns differ because businesses have different levels of power consumption. Also, there are electricity tariffs to think about with the energy company, Synergy. You can learn more about your return on investment when you understand your power bill. Easy Solar can help you gain the information you need.

You also have to consider taxes and depreciation. The Australian Taxation Office allows a five per cent depreciation rate per annum on solar panels. In most cases, your solar system will start to depreciate from day one.

commercial solar financial visibility

Regarding the interest on repayments for the lease, it is tax-deductible. Meanwhile, the goods and services tax will be repaid in the primary business account statement right after taking out the contract. Customers should note that depreciation rates may change based on the final cost of the equipment. Inverters and batteries, as well as some other companies, can be depreciated at over five per cent.

Taking all these considerations, it is common to find firms becoming cash flow positive after investing in solar power. In other words, you can be financially forward within a year or so after the installation of the system. It is because the gross savings are more than the actual cost of the system.

commercial solar commercial rebate

Commercial Rebate

All commercial solar packages from Easy Solar are eligible for an incentive through the small-scale technology certificates rebate. According to this program, systems that are up to 99 kW in size can get the incentive. It does not mean though that 100 kW systems will not get any rebate. Instead of STCs, these businesses can claim Large-Scale Generation Certificates or LGCs.

The STC program will give you payments based on the expected system generation for the next 13 years. The approximate value is $550 per kW, although market conditions and the location of your business can affect this amount.

The difference between LGC and ST C is that the STCs are paid in advance. They work like a discount on the total cost of the system. Meanwhile, the LGC is something that you should track, report, and claim yearly. Since September 2019, the LGC prices have dropped and will continue to fall further.

Financial Benefits

Savings on electricity bills are an obvious benefit of solar systems. When you plan to purchase solar, the first thing that you may look at is how you can save on your current power charges. It is the ultimate financial benefit that you gain right after installing the system. You may not see the changes right away, but you will notice that you have positive cash flow almost immediately.

Another benefit is that organisations may be eligible for a grant because of their commercial solar system. These grants are from the government.

Some councils provide Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUA), where tenants can use solar. It is a form of a tri-party agreement, which can benefit both landlords and renters.

Of course, there is also the tax benefit where commercial solar gives a 20-year tax reduction for businesses eligible for depreciation.

Feed-in tariffs are also becoming more common, even though they are mostly associated with residential solar. FiTs allow a financial return on unused electricity.

commercial solar financial benefits

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