Solar Storage Solutions 1
With many economic obstacles arising out of numerous uncertainties, we all seek a degree of predictability and certainty. For organisations no more is this sought than when it comes to the price of electricity and resulting bills. Switching to / implementing solar storage is one way to move towards certainty in the price of your electricity bills and in most cases a significant saving on how much you pay for it. This brochure seeks to explain what solar storage is, the benefits it will bring to your organisation and why Eqensu should be your preferred supplier for this innovative new form of energy generation and supply. The Eqensu Team 2
Contents About Eqensu.......................... 4 The potential cost savings with solar storage systems compared to utility electricity................. 5 What is solar storage?..................... 6 Which types of business can benefit from solar storage electricity?...................... 8 Examples of installed solar storage solutions.......... 10 Getting your installation done.................. 11 Making an income from solar storage.............. 12 Solar panels and your business tax rates............ 13 Ways to finance the purchase of a solar storage system.... 13 Next steps............................ 14 3
About Eqensu Eqensu operates in the solar energy space, specifically focusing on solar storage, which uses solar panels and batteries to reduce your electricity bills. Most organisations currently involved in the solar industry focus on providing systems that sell electricity to utility companies. We don t blame them for thinking this way: this has been the modus operandi of the solar industry up until now. We aim to change the way that the industry and organisations view solar energy; not solely a system adopted by environmentalists, but rather a relevant and fundamental source of energy. We look forward to working with you towards the development of a cost-effective and professional transition to solar storage. 4
The potential cost savings with solar storage systems compared to utility electricity. A good starting point to begin with in the discussion regarding solar storage systems is the significant cost saving. To analyse potential savings, it s important to identify the following: How much you are paying your current supplier for each kwh of electricity; and How much roof space is available for solar panels the more roof space there is, the more electricity the system can produce. Once these two factors are determined, we can begin to make a cost saving analysis. To provide a good illustrative example, we will use the following assumptions: 1. Your organisation currently pays 13.3 pence per kwh of electricity before VAT. 2. The total amount spent by your organisation on utility electricity is approximately 500 ( 6,000 per annum). 3. You opt for asset financing, and the interest level is set at 4% per annum. 4. The length of the finance agreement is 7 years. 5. An initial deposit of 7,500 (10% of the asset value) is paid 1. In most cases, your organisation will be able to get financial assistance towards the payment of the deposit. Based on these assumptions, your organisation will pay a fixed amount of 391 per month ( 4,692 per annum) for a system that produces 500 worth of electricity. Solar storage compared to utility electricity Solar CPM Utility CPM time 1 You may be able to obtain financial assistance towards payment of asset financing deposit from The Carbon Trust or, in the case of schools from a fund managed by The Education and Skills Funding Agency. 5
6 What is solar storage?
Its cheaper electricity. So now that we ve got your attention with the potential cost saving from solar storage, let s discuss exactly what the system is. Simply put, solar storage involves two things: the storage of electricity generated by solar panels in a battery management system; and the use of that electricity to power some or all electrical devices on the premises. This form of electricity production and usage is also known as self-consumption because the electricity that is generated is consumed at the premises where it is generated. 7
Which types of business can benefit from solar storage electricity? 8
All businesses can benefit from solar storage. Electricity generation from solar and storage is a great and cheaper alternative source of electricity for organisations that have sufficient roof space available for solar. Examples of organisations that can benefit from solar panels and storage include: Schools; Hospitals; Stadiums; Retail and industrial parks; Freehold owners of land (to generate and sell electricity to leasehold owners in their community); and Businesses that rent their premises or enjoy a leasehold, so long as they obtain approval to install a solar storage system on their premises from the freeholder. 9
Examples of solar storage solutions. The number of organisations that are now turning to solar storage for their electricity generation is growing at a significant rate. This is no longer primarily because solar electricity generation is environmentally friendly: it is because it makes financial sense to do so. Below are two examples of entities that have seen the advantages of adopting a solar storage system. Turners Hill Primary A 12-kilowatt storage system was installed at Turners Hill School in Sussex. The school is typical of a small commercial battery storage system, which has very different characteristics to domestic battery systems. The electricity supply to the school is 3-phase, so storage needed to be installed across all three phases. http://www.jojusolar.co.uk/portfolio_page/turners-hill-school-commercial-battery-storage/ Severn Vale Housing Society (Tewkesbury) Solar panels are being installed on people s homes for free in the first deal of its kind in the South West. Residents electricity bills have decreased because of the solar energy generated by the panels that have been installed on their roofs. This system allows customers to store power from the rooftop solar panels in a small lithium battery inside the house. It also helps them monitor their electricity usage and budget accordingly. http://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/free-solarpanels-enable-residents-958585 10
Getting your installation done. We understand the concerns that come with adopting any new system into your organisation and this can only be compounded with adding one that seeks to generate and supply you with electricity. To mitigate against any concerns that you may have we do the following: Only work with MCS qualified installers; Install at a time that is most convenient for your business weekends or during holidays. Post installation maintenance. All data relating to the production and consumption of electricity can be accessed Once installed solar panel systems are an extremely simple and reliable. The panel element of the systems lasts over 20 years with an efficiency decrease of 1% per year. The other two main elements of the system: inverter and batteries can also be expected to last a considerable period; however, they will require more observation and maintenance. We will work with you to determine the most suitable times for your organisation and maintenance programmes. 11
12 Making an income from solar storage.
There are two ways to enjoy electricity generated by solar panels: by self-consumption or by selling to utility companies. However, what happens if you opt for self-consumption but sometimes produce an excess? Or alternatively, if your premises are not used during the weekends and holidays, so none of the electricity that is being produced by your panels is consumed at those times? We can configure your system to sell this excess electricity to utility companies and then switch back to self-consumption when you need it. This is extremely desirable for organisations like schools that have long holiday periods. Solar panels and your business rates. Whether your organisation will have to pay increased business rates because of an increase in property valuation will depend on many factors. We have found that the key factors to consider are the following: The type of finance agreement and resulting ownership; The size and annual valuation of your solar storage system; The legal status of your organisation; Council tax relief for specific organisation types Use of SPV to set up a legal entity that will own the solar storage system and sell electricity to your organisation. Prior to any solar installation, we will work with the relevant authorities to determine the effect the installation of a solar storage system will have on your business rates. Ways to finance the purchase of a solar storage system. Most organisations will either not have sufficient funds available to purchase the system or have other uses for accessible money. We therefore work with finance providers who can access long-term funding to make solar storage affordable and significantly cheaper than utility electricity. You may decide that you want to pay for the system in the shortest timeframe possible or may prefer a long-term deal to keep repayments as low as possible. Either way, our financial brokers will work with you to find the most suitable product. 13
Next steps: 1. Give us a call or email (sales@eqensu.com) and let us know the following details: Your organisation s address; How much you pay each month; and Your load sheet information. Once we have this information, we will have an approximate idea of the solar storage system that your organisation will require. One week 2. We will then organise a visit to your premises to inspect possible locations for installing the solar panels, inverter and batteries. If it has not been done already, we will also certify the energy rating of your premises, as this will be used to determine any Feed-In Tariff rates that you will receive for excess electricity production. One week 3. Upon your agreement to move forward with installing a solar storage system at your premises, you ll receive a copy of our solar assessment and the lease agreement from our financial partners. Two weeks 4. Installation of your solar storage system will complete 2 days 5. You will now have your solar storage system installed and be ready to enjoy the benefits of your own electricity generation and supply. 14
Load sheet: Organisation name Organisation address Completed by Item Quantity Times of the day/night used Example: Room lights 40 6pm-12pm A downloadable copy of this sheet is available from Eqensu.com/load_sheet. 15
Eqensu is the trading name of Evesham House Investments Ltd. Reg number: 10709008. VAT number: 282290890 12-14 Vesey Path, Poplar, London E14 6BT www.eqensu.com 16