Five Tips For Convincing Your Company’s Leadership To Get On Board For Solar Power

Five Tips For Convincing Your Company’s Leadership To Get On Board For Solar Power

UPTOWN ENERGY SOLUTIONS |

Blog by Uptown Energy Solutions

Powering your business with cheap renewable energy like solar power which will never run out and reduces negative impacts on the environment is a savvy business move anyone who owns their property should consider.  The fact is, PV solar can lower power bills, requires only smalls maintenance costs and can be used for diverse purposes.

 

Wood Mackenzie recently released a report indicating that as many as 70% of all commercial properties in the USA have the right conditions to justify an investment in renewable energy. Our own internal research indicates that as many as 1,600 businesses right here in Orange County, FL alone could be good candidates for a rooftop PV (Photovoltaic) Solar Electric system based on size (roof sq.ft.), electricity consumption (kWh) and construction type (wall and roof material).

 

However, convincing a business head to embrace solar power is a massive undertaking.  At Uptown Energy Solutions, we understand the hardship you will face and have created a guide to help you with mission solar power. To help you maximize your persuasion skills and avoiding some common mistakes when putting forth the plan of solar energy, we have listed five tips on how to convince your company’s leadership. Keep reading to know what they are.

 

Tip #1: Emphasize that they won’t be the first, not even close.

Point out a few eyebrow-raising examples of successful companies making Photovoltaic (PV) solar investments. This could be the key to opening your leaders' minds to consider that some folks out there might know something about solar that they don’t.
Once your team learns that some of the biggest names in business are taking renewable energy seriously, they might consider taking the time to do the same.

 

Go online and take a peek at the list of brands invested in solar power, many of them years ago when costs were higher than today. You’ll see that over two hundred plus industry leaders have committed to clean energy, and many of the most profitable businesses have already reached their goals.

 

Relevant examples of companies with US solar purchases might include IFF, Robertet, Mondelez International, PepsiCo, Anheuser-Busch, and Bank of America.

 

Some might speculate that these companies are simply throwing money away to appease their consumers, but we would be cautious of that line of thinking. 

 

Instead, consider that maybe they are saving money first and capturing a marketing advantage as a bonus.

 

To help get you started, we can name some key examples in Florida specifically, companies such as:

  • Firmenich Way is a global chemical manufacturer with a solar power facility in Lakeland, FL.
  • IKEA has five locations in Florida, each with a rooftop covered with PV solar panels, representing some of the state’s largest Commercial / Industrial projects.
  • Disney, of course, has built several solar facilities in the Orlando area.
  • Legoland also has a large solar facility in Orlando.
  • Lockheed Martin has invested in solar.
  • Darden’s Orlando headquarters is solar powered.
  • The US Air Force has a solar facility at Eglin Air Force Base near Pensacola.
  • First Green Bank (recently purchased by Seacoast)
  • JJ Taylor Distributing
  • Tampa International Airport.

 

Plus, several projects are coming online this year which are confidential as of this time.  So know that not everyone is just doing it for marketing!

 

Tip #2: Inform about the exciting financial returns

As mentioned above in tip, huge companies are making significant investments in solar, and why? Because it can provide some astonishing financial returns, that’s why!

 

Projects can see payback or breakeven periods in less time than other investments in marketing assets, automated equipment, or even entire business models.

 

Plus, unlike an investment in automation or outsourcing, reducing your electricity costs has the opportunity to reduce operating costs across all business departments and functions because 100% of your operations share this one critical cost - everything your business does requires electricity and electricity costs money one way or the other.

 

You’ll have to pay somebody for your electricity. You might as well pay less, right?

 

For more detailed financial performance estimates, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Uptown Energy Solutions. Or, you can simply download our FL Solar Business Case for free.

 

Tip #3: Remind them that big tax incentives are ending soon - it's best to get started now.

Some people think it is wise to wait for the solar cost to continue falling before investing. However, they might forget that there’s a 26% Investment Tax Credit out there right now, which will is scheduled to go away in the next 2 years.

 

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and this 26% deal is available today, whereas nobody knows when the full installation cost (much more than just the equipment cost) of a solar purchase might go down by 26%.

 

Again this is a 26% deal on the full installation cost. Yes, solar panels are becoming less expensive, but those only represent a small part of the total install cost.  The cost of solar panels would need to fall by another 75% or more before getting close to the deal that is available today.

 

While you’re waiting, your electricity costs from the utility are likely keep going up as well.  So ask yourselves - what is the opportunity cost of doing nothing?

 

If you want to reduce costs and increase profits across your entire operation, now is the time to do it.

 

Tip #4: If facts don’t work alone, try shaking things up

As mentioned in Tip #3, today’s solar deals won’t be around for much longer, and you’re not the only company considering taking advantage.

 

Ask your company’s head if they are in a competitive industry.  You need to ask them if they’re currently, right now, looking for an “edge” to either reduce costs or create additional value.

 

Now, find out if they think that your competitors could hurt your bottom line if they found a way to reduce operating costs, increase profit margins, and build a stronger marketing position through being labeled as a “green” or “sustainable” company in a much stronger way than yours.

 

Why wait to find out for sure?  The marketing position is a bonus to the real financial considerations of saving money and boosting profits, but both translate to real bottom-line and triple-bottom-line performance.

 

Tip #5: Connect early with a group of professionals you can trust

Having a trusted solar pro on your side can help make sure you are making evidence-based decisions.  Then, when the time comes to start answering questions or providing estimates and forecasts specifically tailored for your business, you’ll already have that relationship to strike while the fire is hot.

 

For more tips on converting your company leader to switch to solar power, reach out to Uptown Energy Solutions located right here in Florida. We are a full-service commercial solar company that will assist in making your home and business power themselves with renewable energy from solar.

 

Our mission is to provide you with unbiased, no-nonsense PV solar solutions and information so that you can have numerous benefits with affordable energy.   Our services are available to business across our home State Of Florida, especially those in Orlando, Windermere, Lake Nona, Lake Mary, Doctor Phillips, Tampa Bay, and Melbourne.

 

To learn more about our solar power services, please click here or get in touch with us by clicking here. 

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