Brewing uses lots of electricity all year long. Electricity costs go up over time but generating clean electricity from solar PV is a great way to save money and fix those costs for the long- term. That’s good for the environment and for your bottom line.
Tips for going solar
- Identify the right decision makers. Does your brewery own your property? Who needs to give permission to install solar on the property? Would you be considering a rooftop solar array or a ground mounted solar array?
- Locate your most recent electricity bill. The usage information and the type of electricity plan you have will be needed by your solar installation contractor.
- Get a proposal from a contractor. Having a solar professional provide a proposal is a great way to refine your knowledge and the right questions to ask.
- Get initial buy-in from decision makers. Now that you have some concrete information, talk to your decision maker(s) about taking the next step. One important consideration here is whether you intend to purchase the system outright or finance it through third-party ownership (”lease” or “power purchase agreement”).
- Get more than one solar proposal. Like any other capital improvement, you’ll want to consider more than one option.
- Select a solar contractor and get started!
Questions to ask your solar contractor
- How much of my electrical consumption is my solar PV (Photovoltaic) energy system designed to offset?
- Should we install solar hot water (SHW) as well to help me save on water heating bills?
- Is the energy production of the solar system guaranteed? If so, what are the terms?
- What yearly financial savings can we expect to see?
- What financing options are available?
- Can I take advantage of the federal tax credit for solar? Are there other incentives available?
- How will the installation attach to my roof? Would a ground mounted solar array be an option?
- If my roof needs to be repaired in the future and that requires part or all of the solar array to be removed and re-installed, what is the cost of doing so?
- What are the warranty and maintenance options?
- Who monitors the system and follows up?