With technological advances having brought down the cost of solar equipment and a new program set to offer incentives for energy storage, there has never been a better time to consider making solar energy a part of your company’s plan. But to make the most of solar, there are many factors to consider, according to PurePoint Energy Founder and CEO Tom Wemyss. “It’s really important to understand what you are eligible for and what you aren’t. Then you also have to be strategic about how to design a system to give the best economics and returns,” he said.
Wemyss has heavy energy users on his list of ideal businesses for solar, but also businesses that usually have the space to implement solar panels. Some of the ideal businesses are:
- Multi-family housing
- Self-storage centers
- Housing authorities
- Auto dealers
- Churches
- Farms
Wemyss’ wish list for businesses considering solar includes a large electricity bill of $1,000 or more a month, a sunny location and a business-owned property or long-term lease. Another consideration for roof-mounted solar is to either have a newer roof or one that needs replacing to avoid additional work after installation.
PurePoint, which serves Connecticut and Southeastern New York, first began working with farms in 2007 but has since completed many different kinds of non-residential projects. With new incentive programs on the horizon, PurePoint has a dedicated analyst evaluating them so the company can continue to customize the best solar plan for each type of business and property.
“We’re the experts. We have been doing this since 2007 and we are up to date on all of the latest technology,” said Wemyss. “We are all about performance. That includes the equipment that we use. That includes how we dial in the incentives and the financing we bring to the table.”
Connecticut is currently transitioning from the ZREC program, aimed at businesses with high electricity needs, to a non-residential tariff program that will allow businesses to either sell power back to the grid or offset their own electricity costs behind the grid. The new program will allow energy-intensive businesses to offset their energy use while allowing other businesses to plan for a more electricity intensive future amid the transition away from fossil fuels, Wemyss said.
Whether that future includes electric fleet vehicles or moving to electric HVAC systems, the clear movement is away from fossil fuels and towards electrification, he said, and businesses can begin preparing by adding solar now.
But even those companies that do not want to pay to implement solar on their property have the option to lease their site for solar use. This allows someone who isn’t interested in the logistics of solar to put their roof to work, said Wemyss.
“That’s a relatively new option for business owners in Connecticut,” he said. “You can create a whole new revenue stream out of an under-utilized space.”
Another upcoming program will finally incentivize energy storage. The goal of this new program is to store energy that can be drawn from when the grid needs it most, said Wemyss. This will be able to be combined with a federal investment credit and paired with solar, but the program will be limited, so businesses need to act now in order to be prepared when the incentives come online, he said.
That advice extends no matter what program businesses want to tap into, said Wemyss, with companies needing to reach out early and get the ball rolling with a company that is knowledgeable about upcoming opportunities. Delaying could mean waiting six months or a year until the next round of incentives come online.
“The cost of energy keeps on increasing. That’s a pain point everyone is connected to,” he said.”I don’t know a customer that wished they had waited. Solar is something you can immediately see an impact on in your next electric bill.”
