Why choose commercial solar for your business?

Both small business owners and operations officers of commercial enterprises often ask, "Is solar financially worth it for my business in Florida?" The short answer is yes. But there are other, often overlooked, benefits that enhance the bottom line as well. 

Virtually every project decision a business owner makes pivots around the projected cost or a return on investment (ROI). The decision to go solar is no different. It's about the money and gain from the investment. But solar energy has so much more to offer than just saving money. 

So, let's explore how a solar energy system brings value to a business's bottom line, attracts better employees, and enriches the community.

Advantages for Your Business Brand

An often overlooked or underestimated benefit - for a business with a solar energy system - is the enhanced company image that attracts a higher-caliber employee talent pool. Career seekers prefer working for a forward-thinking company with an environmentally sustainable practices mindset. 

Another more unusual benefit of soler is that it uniquely crosses over political party lines too. Solar is a topic of interest for almost every conceivable customer, no matter their political choice. So, showing your company's environmentally driven culture by boasting about going solar is often attractive to prospective customers of any political influence.

So, celebrating having a solar energy system throughout a company's social media, website, and other media is a great idea. Doing so attracts insightful customers and employees.

Benefits to the Environment & Staff

Sunshine is a free and abundant energy source - plus, solar panels do not produce air pollution or greenhouse gases while producing clean, reliable energy to serve warehouses, storage facilities, offices, and other locations necessary to keep the business running. Add an Enphase or Tesla battery backup to the solar array and increase reliability for staff to continue working, even in grid outages. All without harming your environment.

Tax Advantages

Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) depreciation is a tax tool for businesses to recover some of the capital costs of the solar installation. It allows companies to deduct the appreciable basis over five years, reducing your tax liability and accelerating the rate of return on your solar investment.

Florida Tax Exemptions - Florida residents and business owners are exempt from paying sales tax for solar energy systems.

Decrease Overhead & Increase Profits

Recent market data indicates that the average commercial property owner in the U.S. can decrease overall energy costs by 75 percent by having a solar energy system in Florida. According to the source, the average commercial property owner paid $1,950 in monthly electric bills before going solar in their operations but stabilized energy costs after solar installation into predictable expenses below $600 per month. The difference in these costs drops directly to the bottom line as retained profits.  

ROI - Return On Investment

A typical PV solar energy system can realize a 20% ROI in the first year. Solar panels operate well over 30 years, with minimal degradation. If you are a real numbers junky - you can crunch the actual numbers to determine the total financial return. By reviewing current electrical consumption per month, predicting future electrical use, calculating the cost of the solar system purchase, and spreading the calculation across all those expected years of future use. 

Solar Payback

On average, today's simplified Levelized payback time on a commercial solar project is 3.5 — 5.5 years, yielding a 15-30% annual return. Once paid off, the business continues to enjoy free electricity for additional 18-21 years under a solar panel warranty.

Incentives, Loans & Grants

Banks and Credit Unions are quickly devising clean energy loans for all financial structures. PPM Solar has the best financial loans available for going solar.

The Rural Energy for America Program, also known as the REAP Grant, is a federal grant from the USDA that can cover up to 25% of the cost of a new solar PV system for agricultural producers and qualifying rural small businesses. Allocations occur annually, usually opening each year in January and closing for selection by May.

Solar For My Business?

Are you wondering how to get to the bottom line about solar?

Collect about one year's worth of your electric bills from your utility company and contact PPM Solar. 

Stop overpaying the utility company and start routing your hard-earned money into an investment that genuinely has a return for more than 30 years. 

PPM Solar’s professional and friendly staff will gladly assist with determining if solar is the right solution for your business. We also have the best financial loans available for going solar.

Barriers to Energy Democracy in the US

Energy = Ability to do work

Democracy = Dēmos “common people,” + Kratos “rule”

Energy democracy is not a new concept or a concept somehow unique to solar energy. It simply means that people can access enough energy to meet their needs and collectively manage energy production. Some current examples of participation in people’s owned energy generation include cooperatives, municipal utilities, community solar farms, and lately, energy efficiency digital assets.

We are all faced with the challenge of climate change, the magnitude of which hasn’t yet been confronted by humankind. The consensus is that solar energy is one of the main paths forward because it speaks to environmental sensitivity and economic growth.

Ota City, Japan - smart solar city.

Just go solar! As an entrepreneur and an owner of a solar contracting firm, I think to myself — “Well, everyone with a solar exposure could install a solar system and a battery bank (i.e., Tesla Powerwall) and have their own 24/7 solar energy plant. Clean and quiet electricity. Let’s share it! Throw the electric car into the mix, and now you are living and driving around “on the Sun!” Add the low-interest financing into the mix, and this solar installation costs about the same as the old nasty dirty electric bill used to." What a concept! This idea is grossly oversimplified, and the reality of the situation, of course, dictates going beyond the individual household.

This is where it gets confusing. There are multiple initiatives on national and local levels to remove energy access barriers and hundreds of community solar projects and organizations. There is an ever-growing number of energy advocates, but they are not organized on a national level.

Not working together. It appears that clean energy movements have developed silos that isolate them from one another, making them far less effective. Some examples include traveling solar co-ops, solar subscriptions, group buying programs, community solar farms, and solar neighborhoods. One autonomous zero-energy home cannot benefit the entire neighborhood. Neither can a single local renewable initiative. But if every home were a semi-autonomous or near-zero energy home, it would allow the entire community to become energy independent.

In the US, we lack a national policy that enables distributed energy generation which would create favorable conditions for clean energy technologies. Under such policy consumers are becoming generators, selling electricity back into the grid when they choose the most market-advantageous time of use and time of resale. The ownership of the grid and infrastructure management would be compensated with transaction fees, similar to the world of finance. 

Jane Doe in Alabama just sold 250 kWh John Smith in California. I believe that the ultimate key to a meaningful conversion to solar energy lies in the wholly deregulated market, empowering peer-to-peer energy sales. A change of this magnitude would require appropriate regulation, national energy registers, and a free energy exchange platform. Utilities could benefit long-term by transitioning to transmission and distribution management rather than generation. This would further enable the shared economy and offer business and job opportunities on an individual level, let’s call it the “Uber of power grid”. Want to make money in the gig economy? Conserve, Produce, or Store energy.

No Renewable Energy Policy. The United States is the only country in the developed world that doesn’t have a renewable energy policy. Under a deregulated and properly administered energy policy, any household could choose to buy energy of choice, including renewables, buy it during a less expensive time of use, be incentivized to conserve, and provided an opportunity to generate/store/sell. This provides long-term investment opportunities on an individual level (install a larger solar system so you can sell into the grid, and set your energy price). Those that cannot actively engage in energy generation can participate in such a system via community solar or deploying storage — from batteries in their cars to household batteries. Such a system would also allow The People (who are now learning to interact with energy generation in a new way) to invest in the transition to renewable energy. Those that live in a rented property or don’t have sufficient solar resources could invest in community solar farms or a solar system located elsewhere. Such investment opportunities could dramatically speed up the transition to renewable energy future, which in turn may be quick enough to curb the effects of human-caused climate change.

Yes, just go Solar! Until then, we must continue to collectively push forward towards solar energy adoption and drive the costs down, creating opportunities for solar contractors and consumers alike.

Can you go off the grid in Florida: an in-depth guide

“Live off the grid” is something most people, with busy lives and bills to pay, often dream of.  While some assume living “off grid” is difficult, Florida statues are strongly enforced to make this lifestyle both easier and protected. Like other states, living off the grid in Florida does haves rules, regulations, and certain restrictions of its own. However, this shouldn’t deter anyone from wanting to live the off grid lifestyle. Having these rules, regulations and restrictions are in the best interests of the environment and the home owner.

Is it illegal to live off the grid in Florida?

Contrary to perception, off the grid living in Florida is not illegal, especially in areas that are not in the jurisdiction of any utility company. State laws for living off the grid in Florida, are explained in the Statutes. For example; Florida Statute, Chapter 553, details the specifics for building codes and developments. It also sites rules, regulations, and restrictions regarding plumbing, electricity, water, other utilities and building designs. 

Legally, if there are any utility companies offering water, sewage and building codes, you must avail to that utility. In areas where no such company operates or provides services, one can go completely off the grid. In those situations, local authorities must ensure there is proper water and waste disposal systems 

However, Florida off-grid living laws clearly mention that you can install your own renewable energy-based power source to run electrical appliances at your home. 

Florida electricity laws: what you need to know

In Florida Statute Chapter 163; subsection 163.04, the use of renewable energy based electrical power systems for houses is addressed. It clearly mentions that this legislation is made to encourage the use of renewable energy based electrical sources.

Subsection 163.04 of the statute also explains that any solar energy collector can be placed in the southern direction of the sun to achieve the maximum output, or, can be installed within 45 degrees due south from east or west.  Additionally, if someone wants to install a solar energy collector on their property or building, the request should not be denied. 

For additional clarification, this statute can be read in its entirety on the “Online Sunshine” website at www.leg.state.fl.us, under the 2021 Florida Statues page.

Contact a certified solar contractor in Florida to get advice on installing a renewable energy based electrical system on your property to enjoy green, clean, and free energy.

Is it illegal to power your home with solar panels in Florida?

Totally off the grid living in Florida is possible only at places where building codes for drinking water, sewage and municipality do not apply or exist. It is also legal to power your home using solar panels in Florida. The use of solar panels falls into the category of “renewable sources of energy”. Installing solar energy collectors on your property or roof of your building can be done legally and is encouraged by the state. Florida law advises the local government to ensure there are no hurdles in processing the application of installing solar panels on the property. 

Installing solar panels to live totally off the grid can be done with peace of mind in Florida. Learn more about solar energy for homes in Florida to live off grid.

By installing commercial solar power systems in Florida you will be assisting society in terms of clean, green and environmentally friendly sources of electricity. 

Amendments to 163.04 of Florida Statuses 2021

Top 5 Florida places to live off the grid

There are off-the-grid communities in Florida that live without connections to any urban modern utility companies. Laws are enforced more strictly in some counties than in others. 

Here are our top 5 places to live off the grid in Florida: 

Liberty County

Considering the main purpose of going off the grid is to live independently and isolated, Liberty County is the best place to achieve this lifestyle. Major portions of the county are national forests, however, prices for available land are the lowest in the state. Homes can be built with solar panels for electricity needs. The environment in Liberty County is also best suited for farming, as the summer season here is not very hot, making living off grid here highly favorable, 

Collier County

This area is located in south Florida, is not very populated and places to live off the grid legally are easy to find. However, keep in mind that building and using a composite waste disposal system is mandatory. Otherwise, Collier County should be considered in your quest to find favorable conditions to live off the grid.

Lee County

Off grid living in this county is best for those who don’t want to totally isolate themselves from the modern world, but want some peace from the daily hustle and bustle. Land in rural areas can be purchased that are close to metropolitan areas, but where life is simpler and more peaceful. Due to accessibility to modern cities, land acquisition can be a bit more expensive. 

Monroe County

Monroe County, also in south Florida, is near Miami County. Building here is suitable for living off the grid due to low population. Overall living prices are very low, even if you don’t go totally off the grid.  

Okeechobee County

This is a popular area for off grid living due to the variety of land it offers. This county features Lake Okeechobee, flat ground, swamplands, hilly areas and forest-like terrains. Despite being a popular area, land prices are surprisingly low. 

5 tips to start living off the grid in Florida

Following the basic tips listed below will help you answer the question, ‘can you live off the grid in Florida?’. 

1. Check all building and energy codes of the county and area where you are looking to purchase land and build. Florida authorities strictly follow and implement building, fire and life safety codes for residents. Some areas are declared fire or wind areas and strict guidelines must be followed as they could cause difficulties for living off grid. Review Florida Statute chapter 553 for more detailed information. 

2. A building permit is required to construct on any land you acquire. Permitting includes plumbing, sewage, ventilation etc. There are restrictions, such as, completing the basic structure within a few months of the permit. Be sure you have the knowledge of such permits before going off grid. 

3. The sun shines more than 5 hours on average, per day, for the whole year in Florida. Installing solar energy based electrical generation systems is best for off grid living. Batteries can be installed for backup to use solar energy at night for your off-grid homes in Florida. Contact the  Tesla Powerwall installer in Florida for energy backup information.

4. Not every area in the state allows farming or livestock in a building or on land. Only areas that are far from cities or fall within these specific agricultural zoning areas allow farming/livestock. If your goal is to grow your own vegetation and keep livestock, be sure to verify what is allowed in your area.

5. In most counties, subscribing to the garbage disposal service and waste management is mandatory. Garbage cannot be simply discarded or buried anywhere. Only a licensed waste management company/person is allowed to transport such waste to recycling or dumping sites. 

Off-grid ground mounted solar system

Tesla Powerwall installed by PPM Solar

Want to power your home with solar? We’ve got your back!

Against the common perception that Florida makes off-grid living illegal, this article helps explain how to live off the grid in Florida. Choosing suitable land that is fit for this lifestyle and following building codes is essential. Legally, you can live totally off the grid in Florida with electrical energy.

Florida laws encourage the installation of solar panels to obtain clean energy and advises authorities to aid such steps by the public. Solar panels mounted on the ground can run your house without being connected to the grid and will complete all your needs during the day. PPM Solar gives you the best services and advice on installing solar systems on your homes.  Florida gives around 26 percent of a Tesla Powerwall tax credit to encourage residents to install renewable based energy sources and batteries to run homes at night. Install solar panels from a certified solar contractor in Florida and enjoy clean, green and free energy for at least 25 years.