Solar Panel Installations
While the process for installing solar panels is quite simple, in a city like Edinburgh with so many listed buildings, it is easy for businesses to dismiss the opportunity of having solar panels installed on the assumption that they would not be allowed to.
Solar panels are subject to normal building regulations whether fitted for business, domestic or commercial use. This includes checking whether your existing roof can support the extra loads of a solar panel installation. At Low Energy Services, we can carry this out for you as part of our initial site survey.
Beyond the existing building regulations, there are other things to consider including:
- The new solar panel system should be installed so that it minimises its external appearance on the building.
- The solar panel installation can not be higher than the building itself (this excludes any chimneys). The solar panel system cannot protrude more than 0.2 metres from the plane of the roof slope.
- Planning permission may be required when you are intending of installing solar panels on a flat roof. This is because, due to the nature of the install, flat roofing solar panels need to be angled and therefore protrude beyond the 0.2 metres normally allowed.
- Listed buildings commonly used for office use require consent and planning permission for solar panels to be fitted.
If your property is in a conservation zone, it may be difficult to gain permission for a solar panel installation though not impossible. We have installed solar panels for listed buildings and those in conservation areas in the past. Planning can be a complicated route but our solar panel installers can advise you on how best to proceed with permission applications.
Solar Panels for businesses in Edinburgh
Solar Panels produce energy on site which can significantly reduce your businesses reliance on the national grid and the volatile and fluctuating energy prices that businesses in Edinburgh have seen so much of in recent years. By installing solar panels, your businesses can contribute to pushing the country towards net zero and relying on electricity produced using fossil fuels. And as this is self-generated it will lead to a decrease in your business energy costs too.
You may think that because your business is based on the East Coast of Scotland that solar panels won’t work. But with the latest in solar panel technology, as long as there is daylight, solar energy can be captured and used. Edinburgh has 1000 to 1500 hours of sunshine per year depending on where you are. And those are all hours that can be used to generate energy collected from the sun.