Diversegy Blog

Businesses looking to reduce costs and mitigate their impact on the environment by going green is not a new concept. Businesses are transitioning from energy sourced from brown resources to green sources for a variety of reasons. Whether it’s to improve their carbon footprint or reduce their energy costs over time, going green is a great initiative for any company to take. More companies, like Google, are setting goals to have 100% of their energy needs covered by green energy. Not only can it be a smart investment but it can also improve your company’s brand image.

Customers often tell us that they don’t think they are good candidates for green initiatives like solar or LED. “Its too expensive.” OR “It doesn’t have a fast enough ROI to make it feasible.” OR “We don’t have the capital to invest.” But there are many options and incentives to counter-act those objections. Solar often has tax incentives both on a state and federal level that make it completely affordable.* Tax credits and other incentives change regularly, and as electricity markets shift (often increasing), so does the value proposition for going solar. Customers who add solar to their business also have their ROI realized on average between 4-6 years in many markets. And with changes to the tax code allowing businesses to realize depreciation in the first year, ROI can be even earlier.

Currently, some of the best areas in the tri-state region to go solar are the state of New York and New Jersey. Some of the more congested areas of New York City are not a great area to go solar though due to the high taxes, installation costs and extremely tall roofs on some buildings – which makes having a crane a necessity.

Am I a good candidate to go solar?

A business must have an energy spend of $500/month and have a roof under 5-years of age (or plans to replace) in order to establish a quick and worthwhile ROI on the system itself.

Small warehouse space in Edison, NJ

• This customer’s property is in the central east part of the Garden State and they are looking to install a new flat roof on their warehouse. Solar panels at this time are a great investment for the customer as they can take full advantage of the ITC tax credit as well as protect the new roof from weathering and debris. With ample sun exposure , an open roof, free from obstructions, and a tax appetite, this building is a great customer for solar.

Medium Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ

• This customer’s property is located right on the Atlantic City Boardwalk and has ample solar exposure. With a hotel, there is usually a lot of machinery placed on the roof. However this hotel recently transitioned to a high efficiency HVAC system, freeing up key roof real estate. This extra roof space now allows space for a moderate solar system. Hotels and casinos experience high operating costs, as they are 24-hour facilities. Adding solar to the roof of this property will allow lower energy costs for the location, making this customer a great candidate for solar. The system will not cover the entire cost of the building though so we also suggest installing LED lighting within the building to help reduce costs further.

Building with a pitched roof in the heart of Manhattan, New York

• A customer’s property in the heart of a city like Manhattan that has very limited sun exposure is not the best candidate for solar .However, installing LED’s in this space would help reduce costs further and is an easy alternative to solar.

Medium office building in Westchester, NY

• This customer’s property is in Westchester and has ample sun exposure, and unobstructed roof space. With high ConEd electricity rates and the current market forecast for their territory, they are a great candidate for solar.

A restaurant in suburban New Jersey

• This customer has a healthy energy spend every month but is not a great candidate for solar. The roof, although newer, has a lot of operating HVAC equipment on it obstructing the needed space for solar panels. If there was an adjacent field we may be able to utilize a ground mount system, unfortunately they do not. For this type of customer, we would recommend LED as an energy efficient alternative as well as shopping for a better rate with a third party supplier.

Diversegy specializes in helping businesses of any size and budget find ways to reduce energy costs including utilizing solar and other energy efficient products. Curious if your business is a good candidate to go solar? Click on the “Free Analysis” button.

*Tax incentives vary by state. Please consult with a Diversegy energy expert to see what your state solar tax incentives are.