A Northern Territory supermarket has installed a 60kW rooftop solar system using a commercial off-take agreement that will save the store more than 25 per cent on its electricity costs.
The IGA at Berry Springs – a town in the outer suburbs of Darwin – installed the solar system through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Solar Financial Solution’s (SFS) Brilliant Energy brand.
Under the PPA, SFS will sell power to the IGA from the electricity generated by its rooftop PV system at more than a 25 per cent saving to grid electricity costs.
The IGA pays only for the energy it consumes, and SFS takes all the risk of energy consumption during the term of the PPA, ensuring that the most suitable system for the store is installed.
In addition, SFS monitors and maintains the solar system.
NSW-based SFS, which specialises in solar leasing, says it has seen a significant increase in interest in its Brilliant Energy PPA, as an alternative way to install solar.
As the Brilliant Energy website notes, residential and commercial solar PPAs – while still fairly new to Australia – have had great success in the UK and US.
As Jeff Bye – a solar industry insider with an interest in the Australian PPA market – wrote on RE earlier this year, there are several key advantages for businesses, in particular, of using PPAs to install solar. (As well as things to watch out for.)
Chief among these advantages are: no upfront cost; immediate reduction in the cost of power bills; reduction of high daytime loads; and potential to reduce peak demand charge, which in some cases makes up half of an SME’s power bill.
“We are delighted to have completed this installation in the Northern Territory which is an excellent market for our PPA with high solar irradiation and steep power prices in the region” said SFS CEO Kevin Heydt.
“The optimal outcome has been achieved by working to meet the needs of the customer by creating a bespoke product that provides significant savings on electricity costs to the customer.”
Sophie is editor of One Step Off The Grid and editor of its sister site, Renew Economy. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.
