There’s never been a better time to invest in renewable energy

We’ve all seen the climate change headlines that are getting more dramatic by the week.

Just this morning, there’s a new study that found that the world now sees twice the number of 50C days each year than in the 1980s. ⁽¹⁾, and another global survey revealed the depth of anxiety young people feel about climate change, with nearly 60% feeling very concerned about their future. ^(two).

Add that to the backdrop of record rising energy costs now at levels never seen since 2008, small energy providers collapsing and the imminent release of the cap on standard energy tariffs starting in October and we can see a perfect storm brewing, just as the UK prepares to host the biggest summit on climate change in November (COP26).

The goals are certainly well documented now – we need to get to Net Zero by 2050.

That goal may still seem a long way off, but change needs to happen quickly and perhaps some of these dramatic headlines are starting to drive the shift towards alternative options for UK businesses and consumers to protect themselves from the highest energy bills in 10 years .

Here are just a few of the key things that are happening to help people make the right decisions:

• The cost of installing renewable energy technology is rapidly reducing
• It is now up to 50% cheaper to generate renewable energy than using fossil fuels
• Renewable energy performance is continuously improving with new innovations such as battery storage in a rapidly growing industry
• Electricity providers are introducing nimble tariffs to support the use of renewable energy at the cheapest rates
• Subsidies and subsidies are still available for businesses and homeowners to benefit from installing renewable energy on their premises

The growth of renewable energy

The renewable energy industry is growing rapidly as consumers and businesses learn more about the huge savings and benefits that can be made, while reducing their carbon footprint and supporting the trend towards net zero and a brighter future and greener for all of us. For example, UK solar companies installed 135 MW of solar power capacity in the second quarter of 2021, more than double over the same period in 2020! ⁽³⁾ And large commercial rooftop installations over 100kW in size have seen their strongest period of sustained growth, supported by a wave of new planning applications that are fueling the pipeline for the next year.

So what is driving this growth? In addition to the fact that companies are recognizing their responsibilities to climate change and making positive changes to the way they do business, the facts clearly indicate that renewable energy is one of the best investments you can make right now.

Currently, companies typically pay between 15p and 20p for electricity (but as we all know, this figure is expected to increase significantly). By generating your own renewable energy with solar panels, for example, you reduce the need to buy electricity at ever-increasing prices – that’s already a big win!

So if you are using more of the energy generated locally, you will have a higher return. For example, a large 100kw commercial system with 95% on-site use will generate an average return of 13.5% as well as more than 40 tonnes of carbon reduction.

But what many business owners may not realize is that installing renewable energy solutions such as solar photovoltaics, renewable heating, battery storage, or solar thermal power may actually be the best investment you will make. With solid payback periods of 5-6 years, continuous energy security and a potential lifetime of 40 years in solar photovoltaic systems, for example, it makes more and more economic sense to consider switching.

In many cases, companies can actually make more money in the long run by lowering their energy bills than many other sales and cost-cutting activities.

And that’s before you consider other benefits, such as capital investment grants. Just like the purchase of equipment or machinery, renewable energy will reduce your tax burden. As announced in the last budget, there will be 100% licenses next year.

So there are many areas where solar power alone can provide a huge financial gain for your business – the savings really make sense and many companies are already reaping the benefits. For example:

TG Group recently installed a 57kWp solar power system at its builders’ premises in Bridgnorth, including 152 roof-mounted solar panels installed by the Caplor Energy team. With the support of the Marches Renewable Energy Concession scheme, the TG Group believes it will recoup its costs in just over 3 years, allowing them to operate in a sustainable and responsible location while making significant ongoing savings over the long term. Watch our video to see more about this project.

Increasingly, batteries are playing a more important role in renewable energy, allowing you to buy energy at much cheaper rates at off-peak hours (often just 4-5p compared to the higher typical rates of 15-20p ), which means you can store and use this energy for your vehicle, home, or commercial use during the day to make up for the more expensive energy. In conjunction with solar, the business case is even better, as solar panels can also charge batteries, helping to provide free energy at all times of the day. When you combine these benefits with the responsive tariffs that are now available from green and ethical energy providers like Caplor partner Good Energy, the savings continue to increase, especially against a backdrop of record energy costs, as highlighted earlier.

The fact is, we will all be using renewable energy at some point in the next 10-20 years. Many large organizations have already adopted The Climate Pledge to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, but for many companies there is every opportunity to reach this goal sooner. However, to achieve this, we all have to start now. It is clear that companies are now addressing social and environmental issues as part of their long-term strategies, not to mention the impact of ethical operations on the recruitment and retention of customers and employees, so reducing environmental impact has now become an integral part. of many organizations’ brand values, which is a clear step in the right direction.

Caplor Energy – Leading by example to secure a better future

As one of the first renewable energy businesses established and accredited with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), Caplor Energy’s team are passionate renewable energy advocates with a mission to inspire businesses, communities and homeowners to install energy systems. renewable energy that will help deliver a zero carbon future to conserve and improve our planet’s long-term social and environmental future.

We have many years of experience specializing in the design, installation and maintenance of a wide range of renewable energy systems across the UK, from solar photovoltaics and battery storage to renewable heating systems, solar thermal energy and electric vehicle charging . We are award-winning, Trustpilot valued ‘outstanding’ and committed to leading by example, with many renewable energy facilities at our base at Caplor Farm in the beautiful Wye Valley. We aim to support all of our customers through informed and impartial advice, quality products and reliable service in our quest for a greener and more sustainable economy that will provide a better environment for our future generations.

For more information about Caplor Energy, watch our short video here.

Whether you’re interested in generating solar energy, storing and offsetting energy with batteries, using heat pumps to keep your buildings warm, or charging your electric vehicles, there’s a renewable path for your business to operate, with significant long-term savings available as you go. your part to reduce the impact of climate change.

To learn more about what your business can do to save money while reducing your carbon footprint, talk to our team of Caplor Energy experts, who can give you clear, unbiased advice on the best solutions for you.