Commercial Solar PV

With electricity prices set to continue rising, companies are increasingly looking at installing solar PV as a great way of reducing energy bills, cutting carbon emissions, and earning an additional income from their roof space. What’s more, demonstrating a proactive concern for

Atlantic Renewables has installed a large number of commercial solar power systems on roofs for offices, cold stores, industrial units, storage centres, factories and farms around the UK, ranging from just 10kWp up to over 500kWp.

Installing a solar PV system on your business premises allows you to take control of meeting your energy needs.

Our qualified electricians and roofers have installed solar panels for commercial buildings on every type of roof including flat roofs, pitched roofs, farm buildings, metal clad, fibrous cement, industrial units, office blocks and even a custom built mounting system on the roof of a heritage listed manor house. We have installed large field based commercial solar systems on pile driven foundations, concrete foundations and railway sleepers, as well as ballasted solutions.

What’s more, we are able to design a tailored system that is the most cost and energy efficient for you specifically, rather than simply fitting the maximum number of panels in a given area. We can use half hourly energy data to calculate how much solar energy will be used during a given year and create an In-depth Solar PV Energy Report for each specific site.

Installing a solar PV system on your business premises allows you to take control of meeting your energy needs.

We don’t take a ‘one size fits all’ approach to solar solutions. We believe that every project deserves the same level of attention, and a personalised approach which ensures that your installation runs at its most effective, and efficient.

As a Commercial Solar PV specialist we excel at delivering solar PV systems for companies around the country, on-time and on-budget, and the fact that the majority of our work comes through recommendations speaks volumes about our track record…

We have installed every system on time and on budget, often under pressure from key deadline

Every system comes with a third party insurance backed installation warranty for our workmanship as well as the standard panel and inverter warranties, so you can have the peace of mind knowing that the work has been done right. We are able to offer further insurance-backed warranties upon request

We can install online monitoring with every system which enables you to be able to track your systems performance online and receive alerts if anything goes wrong. If something does happen, we will be ready to step in and diagnose the issue quickly – which tends to be within an hour of arriving

We closely monitor all of the systems we install and are always on hand to pop back and sort out any problem, giving you peace of mind

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme certifies that our solar products and installations are completed at a high standard. On completion of your project, you will receive an MCS certificate to demonstrate that your installations have been made to a high standard. Our staff are also fully employed and carry in date CSCS, IPAF cards, we're a member of the SSIP scheme (SMAS) and site-ready when it comes to providing RAMS, insurances etc

We're always happy to provide tender support with CAD designs (inc roof, plant room layouts, electrical schematics etc) and generation forecasts to meet the BRUKL and BREEAM requirements

We here at Atlantic Renewables are committed to building and maintaining lasting relationships with our clients. Your commercial solar panels will last for many years, which means we’re with you for the long haul.

Because of our commitment to quality, we have built strong on-going relationships, and have installed multiple systems for many of our customers. We obtain most of our business from repeat business and referrals from our customers who have been so happy with their industrial solar.

Through these relationships, we have also found that we have not had to do much marketing as other commercial solar companies, as most of our custom comes through repeat business or referrals, which means we have more to spend on research and innovative solar power solutions.

A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is an excellent arrangement for commercial solar PV. It allows your business to benefit from a solar energy system, while avoiding the financial outlay for installation and maintenance.

Under these agreements, which usually last 25 years, an external investor pays for the commercial solar power systems to be installed, and then sells the company’s energy generation back to the company at a cost lower than what is offered by their energy supplier.

The external investor will be the one to receive the financial benefits from the Export Tariff, which provides a financial incentive for any energy generated and sold back to the grid. If you make a solar power purchase agreement, then your business will benefit from a much more affordable electricity price. At the end of the agreement, the business is able to pay a very small payment to the investor in order to claim ownership of the solar PV installation, and continue to benefit from the electricity generated.

A PPA means that your commercial solar panel system will be installed at no cost to you, which means that you will start to benefit from energy savings as soon as it is up and running. What’s more, public perception of your business is likely to increase as you demonstrate a commitment to decreasing your carbon footprint.

Not only will switching to a renewable energy source save you money, and allow you to earn Export Tariffs back from your energy supplier, it will also improve your reputation with clients and customers. In 2015, a Harvard survey found that company performance was significantly better among businesses that demonstrated a practical approach toward improving their sustainability, which suggests that making investments in your environmental impact can help to create a better work environment.

Similarly, in 2017, a survey by Unilever demonstrated that over a third of consumers will opt for a brand that demonstrates a concern for their environmental impact.

In a progressively more environmentally conscious world, commercial solar power systems present an excellent and financially beneficial option for businesses looking to improve their carbon footprint, and their corporate identity.

f you are in the process of planning a new build, then you are required to complete a Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) calculation before work begins. This falls under part L2 of Building Regulations, and is used to ensure that new commercial buildings comply with environmental policy initiatives, and that they meet with a high standard of energy efficiency. SBEM calculations are required for most commercial buildings (L2A), although there are some exceptions for places of worship or unheated buildings, and are also required for building extensions, conversions, or larger-scale renovations (L2B).

The SBEM Calculation is divided into two compulsory stages. An initial calculation is made prior to any work, while the building is still in the design stage, to predict the carbon emissions and energy usage of the building’s cooling, ventilation, lighting, and heating. Following completion of the build, a second calculation is made, and a certificate will be required, alongside an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate).

It can be challenging to meet with the regulations placed on new commercial builds. While Atlantic Renewables do not complete SBEM Calculations, we are well-placed to help our clients meet the standards of the Simplified Building Energy Model, to ensure that work is able to progress without costly delays.

The optimum orientation for a solar array is due south at an angle of between 10-45. However, if you don’t have a south facing roof or want to install on a flat roof then we can accommodate this by use of A Frames, which can be used to pitch panels up to a required angle and orientation.

Our personalised approach to solar panel installations ensures that you will get the most out of your solar system, and our wealth of experience with a variety of building and roof types means that we will always find a solution.

While it is true that your solar panels stop generating electricity outside of daylight hours, innovative battery storage systems are now available to stockpile electricity for use throughout the night. Switching over to a renewable energy source does not need to be a part-time venture.

Shading can be detrimental to the performance of the system, so it is important to check with us about our solutions to your shading problem.

Our commercial solar power systems are tailored to fit the requirements of your location. Miro Inverters & Power optimisers can be installed to make each solar panel work independently, which will optimise your energy generation. Micro inverters come with a twenty year warranty & Power optimisers 25 year warranty, making them an excellent investment if your company is located in a more shaded location.

Since April 2012 planning permission is no longer required for commercial solar roof-mounted PV installations, unless on a listed building or in a conservation area. If your company’s building is subject to planning permission, then we are available to provide help and knowledge throughout the planning process.