December 29, 2015
This is the time of year people tend to reflect and make resolutions for improvements. Often – especially following the holidays – these are about getting into shape; physically, mentally, or even financially. Undeniably, “health” is one of the most popular themes at the start of each New Year. While New Year’s resolutions tend to be purely personal, they can – and should – apply to your business as well.
If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of people who plans to adopt a healthier lifestyle as part of your New Year’s resolution, you’re most likely thinking about your health holistically – focusing not just on exercising, but also eating a healthier diet and making time for relaxation or meditation. Perhaps your resolution to be healthier also includes dropping bad habits and getting your wallet in shape too.
If you own or run a business, there’s good reason to think about your business holistically as well. Logistics, operations, sales, finance – when all of these parts of your business are aligned and in “healthy” working order, your business is more likely to grow and succeed. So what does a healthy business look like and what would be a good resolution to adopt in order to help your business or organization reach its fitness goals?
Let’s start with the most obvious – finances. When it comes down to it, a company with a healthy financial statement will be in a better position to grow and invest resources back into the business. A great way to save money while being a leader in your community is to pursue a solar project. With electric rates continuing to rise (33% last winter!), and fluctuating over time it is difficult to budget this line item every year. With solar energy, businesses can significantly reduce or even eliminate their electric bill.
In addition to the financial benefits, adopting solar energy also helps to reduce your organization’s carbon footprint. Think of solar as a clean-eating diet for your company. You’ll be consuming clean, renewable energy instead of pollution-producing fossil fuels.
A solar array will help you save money, improve efficiency in your business, and reduce operating costs. Not to mention help your business stand out in your industry as an environmental leader. Studies and reports continuously show the benefits of solar, especially for businesses, and data shows that renewables are the next logical step for energy evolution in the modern world. Who wouldn’t want to resolve to make that next step this year, and be on the early side of this revolution?
In addition to solar energy, your business can improve it’s overall health by implementing other energy efficiency measures, such as investing in energy storage solutions, replacing lighting with high-efficiency bulbs, using automation technologies to control heating/cooling and energy use, or even weatherizing and insulating the building. State programs, like MassSave, provide Massachusetts’ businesses with information on reducing energy use including best practices, new technologies, programs, and incentives that promote energy efficiency.
The first quarter of 2016 is a great time to set energy and efficiency goals, even if your budget has been set and your year planned out. Federal legislation has recently given solar a fresh (re-)start with the renewal of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), incentivizing commercial entities to go solar for an additional 5 years. We are coming off a banner year for solar – the increasing number of installations has grown solar employment by 160%, encouraged investments, and has generated significant momentum for the industry. Installation prices have continued to drop while new financing models – such as solar PPAs – have made going solar much easier and more affordable than it has been in the past, allowing companies, organizations, and individuals to take advantage of solar energy for no money down.
We anticipate 2016 to be an exciting year for the solar industry – in Massachusetts and nationwide. With the momentum that has built up in 2015, we are in an exciting space, with a real opportunity to make solar a mainstay of American energy. As a company, Solect resolves to help as many businesses and organizations as possible reduce their operational costs through smart solar and energy management solutions. We resolve to be an active voice in the legislative conversations that will shape solar policy in the coming years. We resolve to spread information to our stakeholders, like you, to make them more knowledgeable and involved in and about energy solutions. We are so excited to see where this next year will take us, and we hope you will come with us on the journey.
So what are you waiting for? Resolve to get your business in shape!
