Why Should You Consider Solar for Your Manufacturing and Distribution Companies?
Ready to have your mind blown? According to EIA estimations, a 10,000 square-foot manufacturing facility consumes roughly the same electricity, per year, as 80 homes! Utility bills are around 30% of an average manufacturing site’s costs. The potential saving costs created by solar panel installation for manufacturing and distribution companies are therefore considerable. Already the world’s most affordable energy source, the Inflation Reduction Act has been a game-changer for commercial solar energy systems in Minnesota. In fact, manufacturing and distribution sites are particularly suited to commercial solar power arrangements.
Outrunning The Grid
One thing which makes solar particularly cost-effective for manufacturing and distribution centers is that they consume most of their electricity while the sun is up. Not only is this the time when electricity from the grid is most expensive, it is also the time when most power is generated by a solar energy system. Minnesota, for example, is estimated to average four hours of peak sunlight per day, translating to 4,000 watts of electricity generated per square meter of solar panels. Essentially, during the daytime, grid-tied manufacturing facilities can use the electricity generated by solar panels; at night, when electricity is less expensive, the facility uses electricity from the grid. This makes electricity cheaper and more reliable. Solar also offers price stability for your business, in the face of the growing unpredictability of US electricity prices! Curious about what a customized solar panel arrangement can do for your manufacturing or distribution center? Here are Cedar Creek Energy we can give you a bespoke quote based on your unique specs!
Raising the Roof
Manufacturing facilities often have large, flat roofs which offer ideal conditions for a solar panel installation. Their wide surface area offers vast amounts of space to create a commercial power system capable of supporting even a manufacturing and distribution center’s high electrical needs. The panels can also be directed south to catch the maximum amount of sunlight, more easily than on a sloped roof. The location and height of manufacturing and distribution companies’ buildings also means there is often less shade from buildings and trees to contend with. Depending on size, an average manufacturing plant is estimated to need between 929 and 9299 square meters worth of solar panels to cover the majority of its electricity needs. If the roof itself isn’t big enough, plants’ isolated locations mean it is often possible to add extra free-standing solar PV arrangements close by. And if this isn’t possible, solar power’s flexibility means a site can be powered by a commercial solar power system in an entirely different part of Minnesota, or even a different state, for that matter!
Hitting Corporate Sustainability Goals
Growing numbers of Minnesota’s manufacturing and distribution businesses are waking up to the benefits of sustainable business practices. As well as helping the planet, embracing solar power will lower your overheads considerably. Combined with the Inflation Reduction Act’s new clean energy tax credit (worth up to 60% of your installation cost!), our great state’s incredible financial incentives make solar the cheapest and most reliable energy source available for your business. A rooftop solar installation can earn more LEED® points than nearly all other green building initiatives. Join the many players in the manufacturing and distribution industry by embracing sustainable business models, helping your profit margin, the planet, and the way your consumers view your brand.
We’re sure you still have lots of questions about how solar power can work for your manufacturing or distribution business! How much is the initial outlay? How much can you save on utility bills and how quickly? And what about commercial solar financing!? When it comes to solar energy systems in Minnesota, Cedar Creek Energy can answer all your questions (plus a few you haven’t thought of yet!). Get in touch today to find out more!