Companies considering installing commercial-scale solar power systems in Western Australia could possibly save up to tens of thousands of dollars per system after the removal of unnecessary regulatory red tape according to Energymatters.
Under the Western Australian government’s red tape repeal initiative, operators of commercial solar power stations are no longer needed to be licensed by the Economic Regulation Authority, an issue that had previously prevented some installing a system.
These changes potentially decrease the cost of commercial-scale rooftop solar installations by up to $30,000 per system, while maintaining safety and integrity of the electricity network, according to Western Australia Energy Minister Mike Nahan. The nest phase of the solar revolution will be driven by the commercial rooftop solar systems and that’s why they are making it easier for businesses to take advantage of this technology.
Finance Minister Sean L’Estrange said the changes were made as there were already numerous safety measures in place. One example, revisions to Western Power’s technical rules and connection standards have removed any redundant protection requirements now addressed by modern solar inverters.
It’s estimated that the repeal will save the industry more than $1 million every year. Companies paying more than $0.15/kWh for daytime electricity usage could benefit from a commercial solar power system sized to daytime load. System like these can provide a payback time of between 5 and 7 years.
The addition of a commercial energy storage solution such as the Tesla Powerpack battery system can boost the benefits of going solar, specifically in relation to decreasing the demand charges that make up a large portion of a company’s electricity costs.
With much of Western Australia enjoying plentiful solar irradiation resources, going solar will have a significant and positive impact on a company’s bottom line in addition to showing solid environmental stewardship.
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Featured Image Credit: Rafael Saffirio