The YES Energy Solutions survey found that 73 percent of workers in Yorkshire said their employers did not have solar panels installed in order to help power their businesses, while just 9.5 percent said their place of work did have solar panels installed. Of those businesses that do not currently use solar energy, one in five employees (19.45 percent) said they would prefer their employers to install solar.
Solar power is currently thought to generate about a fifth of the country’s power on a typical summer’s day. The survey findings follow the news that 100 of the world’s most influential companies have decided to switch to renewable power through the RE100 initiative. A total of 138 major companies, including Google, Ikea and Marks & Spencer have taken significant action to convert to renewable energy.
The Government is poised to introduce its new Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework for large businesses, which will take effect from April 2019. This is part of a wider attempt to improve energy efficiency among businesses by 20 percent by 2030, as mentioned in the Government’s 2017 Clean Growth Strategy. The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) also wants to drive further energy efficiency gains across small and medium enterprises (SMEs), helping businesses to improve their energy efficiency with a call for evidence that closes on 26th September.
Meanwhile, the Government’s Feed-in Tariff (FIT) will help to make returns of several thousands of pounds per year for eligible businesses, depending on the size of solar array and amount of sunlight received.
“The unprecedented yet welcome heatwave the country has enjoyed in recent weeks serves as a timely reminder of the benefits and potential returns solar panels can bring” said Duncan McCombie, Chief Executive at YES Energy Solutions, “yet our survey findings suggest a staggering proportion of business owners are missing out. After all, the cheapest energy is the energy you don’t use, so why not generate it yourself? Even in the absence of prolonged sunny conditions, developments in solar panel technology are such that they are now capable of generating far more electricity than they used to, at a far lower capital outlay.”
A wide variety of different industries and businesses can benefit from solar panels and public sector businesses can apply for interest-free Government funding to finance installation.
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