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With increasing public pressure to embrace sustainability, companies are looking for ways to take meaningful action — and installing an onsite solar energy system is a great start. Here’s a breakdown of how a solar installation helps organizations large and small hit their green objectives.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are efficient sources of renewable energy, producing 100% emissions-free electricity once installed. When a company uses solar energy from an onsite system to help power its operations, it can significantly reduce the amount of electricity it draws from the utility grid, thereby decreasing its dependence on fossil-fuel burning sources. Additionally, in states that allow net metering, any excess energy produced by the solar array can be exported into the grid for utility bill credits.
Pairing a solar system with energy storage in a microgrid configuration can maximize green benefits and provide companies with invaluable energy resiliency. Microgrids are “islanded” systems that can operate independently of the utility grid. In the event of a power outage, solar energy is supplemented by stored battery energy and a gas generator. A generator in a microgrid setup runs at full capacity for shorter periods of time, which increases fuel efficiency and decreases greenhouse gas emissions.
A key component of setting and hitting green objectives is participating in accurate and transparent ESG reporting, which companies use to disclose their progress on a variety of sustainability measures to interested parties like investors. Due to nefarious practices like “greenwashing,” the burden of proof is high for companies. Luckily, the environmental benefits of solar energy are easily quantifiable. In states with Solar Renewable Energy Credit programs, a SREC is generated for every 1 megawatt-hour of electricity a solar system produces, which entitles the system owner to claim the “green benefits” of the energy. This is how companies are able to make public statements about reducing their scope 1 and scope 2 emissions and lowering their carbon footprint.
Seeing as consumers are placing more importance on a company’s sustainability efforts when making a purchase, marketing how well your company hits its green objectives is a green objective in and of itself. The green benefits of solar are easily put into context for the general public. For example, a recent PowerFlex installation for Oren International, a leading provider of custom paper solutions, carries environmental benefits equivalent to avoiding more than 850,000 pounds of carbon dioxide or saving 44,000 gallons of gasoline annually. Not to mention, the facility offsets 95% of its onsite electricity usage with clean solar energy.
These impressive stats make great fodder for press releases, blogs, and social media posts, all of which our in-house marketing team at PowerFlex can help produce on behalf of our clients.
We also help execute ribbon-cutting events attended by local press and state leaders, as well as create public-facing videos highlighting the solar project and how it contributes to the client’s sustainability goals. In addition to being promoted on a client’s website and social channels, these engaging videos can be included in sustainability reports to investors. But perhaps the easiest way to market a solar project is to simply decide to install one in the first place. When installed on your property grounds or as part of a parking canopy, the solar panels themselves can be an extremely visual reminder of your sustainability efforts to anyone who visits your facility.
Considering solar as a way to hit your company’s green goals? Look no further than PowerFlex, a company that’s been developing turnkey and bespoke solar energy and storage solutions for commercial and industrial clients for over a decade. We handle all aspects of the project from design and installation to maintenance and monitoring. Plus, once your project is completed, our in-house marketing team can help highlight how you’re hitting your green objectives through solar energy. Contact us now, and we can set you up with a free consultation.
(Read our blog on commercial solar financing options to finance your transition to renewable energy powered by solar.)
