Commercial Solar Parameters
According to power company Constellation Energy, companies need to take some issues into consideration before they take the path to a cost-effective solar-powered enterprise. The size of the system is a key factor in long-term cost savings and profitability, as it has to be large enough to generate sufficient energy to offset the costs of the investment. As of publication, the company says that a business should generate at least 1 million kilowatts of power annually to achieve any savings benefit. Moreover, the installation should occupy at least 100,000 square feet of roofspace or 2.5 acres of cleared land.
Renewable Energy Credits
While the feasibility requirements for solar power generation among businesses seems to favor larger companies over smaller ones, small businesses can get in on the game by using renewable energy credits. A solar renewable energy credit represents 1 megawatt of solar-generated power, a certain quota of which utilities are required to buy under Renewable Portfolio Standard mandates in some states. Solar-producing businesses can sell their SRECs to utilities, and depending on prevailing market prices, reap profits. Solar services provider Geostellar speaks of several routes for selling SRECs: directly to the utility; through an agent or aggregator; or through an SREC exchange.