Business Solar & Energy Storage FAQ

Commercial solar energy involves using solar panels or photovoltaic (PV) systems to generate electricity for businesses, organizations, and institutions. These systems capture sunlight to create clean, renewable energy, helping to decrease dependence on fossil fuels.

Businesses can gain various advantages from solar energy, such as substantial savings on electricity costs, lowering their carbon footprint, improving their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, and attaining energy independence.

Commercial solar installations lower greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and dependence on non-renewable energy sources like coal and natural gas. By adopting solar energy, businesses play a role in creating a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

The installation timeline for a commercial solar project varies based on factors such as system size, site complexity, permitting, utility approval, and weather conditions. The timeline will typically range between 8-12 months from application to installation. The physical installation will only need 5-10 days to complete.

Photovoltaic cells absorb the sun's energy and convert it into a DC electric current. Solar inverter converts DC current into AC electric currents for use in the building. Your electrical panel then sends this electricity throughout your building.

Solar panels transform sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity, which is then converted into usable alternating current (AC) electricity by inverters. This AC electricity powers your business operations and can be stored or sent back to the grid.

Feasibility is influenced by factors such as the available roof or ground space, the orientation and tilt of the panels, shading, energy consumption patterns, utility rates, local regulations, and financial aspects.

We provide a variety of high-efficiency solar panels designed for commercial installations, including monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film technologies. Our experts can suggest the most suitable options based on your specific requirements.

Inverters transform direct current (DC) electricity from solar panels into alternating current (AC) electricity for use within your building. Monitoring systems oversee energy production, system performance, and consumption, offering real-time insights to help optimize energy usage.

Commercial solar panels generally last 25-30 years or longer, while inverters and other components have a lifespan of 10-20 years. Routine maintenance and monitoring can help extend the overall lifespan of your solar energy system.

We offer solar energy systems, battery energy storage systems and EV charging solutions

It will depend on whether you have a storage system installed with your solar panels. The standard installation is grid-tied, meaning it is designed to shut off during grid outages. This is to prevent electricity from feeding back into the grid and injuring utility workers who are fixing the power lines. However, if your commercial solar installation is off-grid or installed with a battery storage system, it can continue to operate independently of the grid during outages. This setup provides you backup power that can be used to keep critical loads on until the grid power is restored. We’ll work with you to find the perfect option for your energy needs.

Solar installations are designed to be safe for your roof. We always ensure that the system is properly mounted and sealed to protect the integrity of the roof. We also perform a thorough inspection to ensure your roof is in good condition and can support the weight of the solar panels.

On cloudy days, solar panels will still produce electricity, but the production will be less because there won’t be as much sunlight that reaches the panels. Your system will still be connected to the grid, allowing you to use power from the grid when the solar panels are not generating enough energy to power your building.

Snow covering panels produce less electricity but you can still use energy from the grid. Your power bills will remain low thanks to excess production during the summer that carries over as credit. Overall production annually is still positive and already factor in the winter season.

The lifespan of a commercial solar system is typically around 30-40 years. In most cases, solar panels continue to generate electricity for 30 years or more with little degradation.

Investing in commercial solar power is a great way to guarantee long-term savings on electricity bills while improving cash flow and increasing property value. By taking advantage of tax credits and rebates, you’ll create a positive return on your investment in no time.

The ROI timeline for commercial solar installations depends on several factors, including system size, energy usage, financing options, available incentives, utility rates, and the historical rate of increase in each province. Our team can provide a detailed ROI analysis tailored to your project. While the typical payback period for commercial solar installations is between 6 and 10 years, various factors could significantly accelerate this timeline.

Yes, we provide in-house financing options ie. Sunline at competitive rates for eligible clients. Our financing terms are highly flexible, allowing you to pay off the asset at any point without incurring penalties. Additionally, we offer personalized payment plans tailored to your specific needs, ensuring affordability and convenience throughout the project.

Savings from solar panels have proven to significantly reduce operational expenses, improve profitability, hedge against rising utility costs, enhance sustainability, and appeal to environmentally conscious customers.

Research indicates that commercial properties with solar installations often have higher property values and may sell at a premium compared to those without solar. However, the degree of value increase depends on factors like location, system size, and the local real estate market. Many property owners note that solar panels make commercial properties more appealing to buyers, lower operating costs, require little maintenance, and offer energy independence from the grid, all of which can enhance property value.

Yes, commercial solar installations must follow local zoning rules, provincial building codes, and federal permitting guidelines. Polaron is committed to managing all necessary permits on your behalf, ensuring a smooth and prompt process.

Yes, commercial solar installations are modular and scalable, meaning you can easily expand the system as your business grows. You can add more panels, install additional inverters, or integrate energy storage systems to increase the capacity of your solar installation.

Typically, you won’t have to shut down your business during the installation. We’ll work with you to plan the installation time around your business hours during off-hours or weekends if necessary. There may be brief periods when power needs to be turned off to connect the solar system to your electrical system. These interruptions will be planned in advance.

Grid-tied systems allow your home to share surplus electricity with the electrical grid and draw power from it when necessary. There are also self-contained systems and hybrid systems. In an off-grid setup, you rely entirely on solar energy and stored battery power to run your home or business.

Batteries store excess energy from your panels for later use. You can adjust your battery’s mode to take advantage of lower rates and access backup power during outages.

EV chargers are used to charge electric and hybrid cars. There are a variety of different chargers on the market, including level 1, level 2 and level 3 fast chargers.

Microinverters are attached to the back of your solar panels and are best for complex solar installations. String inverters connect strings of panels in one central location and are best used for simple solar installations