Solar Isn’t Just For Major Corporations Anymore

At one point in time, solar power was cost-prohibitive enough that most small to mid-sized business owners didn't even bother to research how or if solar could benefit their business. So, if it wasn’t cost efficient for small to mid-sized businesses in the past, how was it cost effective for major corporations? Well, it might not have been. There could have been other motivating factors for those corporations in play. Like the positive PR they received for being environmentally friendly and reducing their carbon footprint by choosing to power their buildings with renewable energy sources like solar panels. 

Take Apple Inc. for example. Based on a 2018 press release, Apple is globally powered by 100% renewable energy. That includes retail stores, offices, and data centers. “We’re committed to leaving the world better than we found it. After years of hard work we’re proud to have reached this significant milestone,” said Apple’s CEO Tim Cook. “We’re going to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible with the materials in our products, the way we recycle them, our facilities and our work with suppliers to establish new creative and forward-looking sources of renewable energy because we know the future depends on it.”

Times have changed though. Materials have become more affordable, tax incentives and the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) have become available for businesses of all sizes to utilize. Those two financial incentives alone have cut the return on investment for business owners in half! (More on that in another blog coming soon). There are even Solar Grants available for certain qualifying businesses to take advantage of. 

Now, businesses of all sizes can have their cake and eat it too, embracing the benefits of reduced operating expenses and reducing their carbon footprint, making solar attainable not just for major corporations, but for businesses of every size.