If you’re a UK business, you’ll know that change has been the only constant in recent years. From political turbulence to economic pressures – like rising rents, and the ongoing cost-of-doing-business crisis – businesses are under a lot of pressure to rethink strategies and scale back costs.
The pressure to meet environmental standards is also impacting businesses large and small. The government’s Net Zero target means the clock is ticking for you to demonstrate green credentials. And there’s consumer pressure, too – in fact, 96% of businesses feel the pressure to become more sustainable. Despite this, only 60% of companies have a sustainability strategy in place.
So – what’s to be done, and where can your business make tangible savings to help weather the ongoing storm?
While wholesale energy prices have fallen from their 2022 peaks, the overall trend is that bills have been consistently rising in the last ten years. This is where rooftop solar steps into the picture – and with new business models like Electron Green’s, it can be as cost-effective for tenants as it is for landlords.
Solar energy can help you to deliver two objectives – cost and sustainability – with one programme. In terms of cost, it simultaneously offers long-term savings and helps you avoid ongoing price volatility. It improves energy independence by reducing reliance on the grid, and even minimises energy wastage: when solar is generated on-site, there’s less transmission loss than traditional electricity travelling from the grid. And while the cost of traditional electricity continues to rise, your solar electricity will be fixed at 20p kWh, enabling you to stay in control of your costs over time.
As for sustainability, embracing solar openly shows customers your environmental credentials. Research has shown that 92% of consumers are more likely to trust brands that are environmentally or socially conscious. And with greater trust comes stronger performance: 66% of global customers are willing to pay more for sustainable goods. Switching on solar energy in your business sends a solid brand message that customers are being heard, whilst it also takes you further ahead in the race to Net Zero.
If you’re a commercial tenant, you’ll likely already know how tricky it can be to make changes to your building. With less control, input and final say in how a premise runs, tenants find themselves bound by a landlord’s preferences. Making environmentally-friendly adjustments can seem out of the question – particularly considering the significant capital required to make large scale changes.
Installing rooftop solar and maintaining systems is a major task – one that commercial landlords aren’t likely to take on lightly. And given they won’t be using any of the electricity themselves, there’s little incentive for them on the cost front.
This is where Electron Green comes in. We work with leading property developers and landlords across Europe – either scoping and managing the solar installations they own, or installing our systems completely free of charge, only charging for the low-cost solar electricity we supply to tenants. This makes it possible for tenants like you to ask your landlord to install solar with absolutely zero cost to them – in fact, they’ll actively benefit from improving the building’s sustainability credentials.
In other words, there’s nothing but upside for your landlord – and as a tenant, you’ll benefit from cutting carbon emissions and drastically reducing your electricity costs.
There’s no denying that the tenant/landlord relationship (along with a managing agent, on occasion) is often complex. But there is a movement amongst big property companies to embrace solar, and our model is the perfect solution to allow every party involved to benefit.
With fewer barriers to switching to solar for your business, there’s no better time to start than now. A single decision to make the change can help you reduce costs and show your green commitments, and it won’t interfere with running your business. If your only task is to make the choice to use solar – is there really a reason not to?
The need for environmental change is only getting bigger. Energy prices, while fluctuating from time to time, will remain more expensive than greener alternatives. You can act now to show both your commitments to a cleaner future and to your customers while cutting down costs and gaining better control over the energy supply at the same time.
Find out if your business premises is eligible for free solar today, speak to one of our consultants.
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