Making your business more sustainable? Shift to Solar offers innovative solutions

Sustainability is long since no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Companies in the Netherlands and Belgium face the challenge of reducing their energy consumption and switching to green power. Whether they are SMEs or multinationals, sustainable entrepreneurship not only delivers cost savings, but also strengthens the organisation's image and future-proofing. Shift to Solar helps companies with practical, future-proof energy solutions. In this blog, you will read why sustainability is important right now and what concrete solutions Shift to Solar offers - from solar panels on your roof to smart energy storage.

Sustainability is more important now than ever

Why should you work on renewable energy for your business today? The pressure to become more sustainable is increasing rapidly, from multiple angles. Some key reasons at a glance:

• Stricter laws and regulations: Governments in the Netherlands and Belgium are setting increasingly high standards for energy use and CO₂ reduction. Think of compulsory energy-saving measures and reporting obligations (such as the information obligation energy savings in the Netherlands). Companies must comply with these rules to avoid fines and restrictions. It is better to be ahead now than to be overtaken by the law later.
  
• High energy costs: In recent years, energy costs have risen sharply and fluctuated wildly. By generating your own energy with solar panels, you can protect your business from price increases and save on monthly energy bills. The less you depend on purchased power, the more stable your energy costs will become.
  
• ESG targets and sustainability ambitions: Customers, investors and partners are looking more and more critically at companies' sustainability performance. Sustainability is no longer a choice, but a requirement. Organisations with ambitious Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) goals want to reduce their carbon footprint and demonstrate responsible business practices. Investing in solar solutions directly helps achieve those environmental and climate goals.
  
• Positive image: A green image can make all the difference when it comes to attracting clients and talent. When you visibly commit to sustainable energy - for example, with solar panels on your premises or a solar carport on the grounds - you show that your company takes responsibility for people and the environment. This strengthens your reputation and sets you apart from competitors.
  
• Future-proofing: By becoming more sustainable now, you prepare your business for the future. You reduce risks (such as dependence on the electricity grid or fluctuating prices) and build a stable energy supply. Moreover, innovations and new opportunities are constantly emerging in the energy market. Companies that invest early in their own generation and storage will reap the benefits later. In short: those who make the move today will remain competitive tomorrow.
  

Now that it is clear WHY sustainability is urgent, we are looking at how Shift to Solar can help with this. Below, we highlight four innovative solutions that make an immediate impact on your energy saving and sustainability goals.

Solar panels on company roofs - use your roof as an energy source

Many company roofs lie unused, waiting for a useful purpose. Why not use that large roof area as a mini power plant? Solar panels on top of the roof of your business premises are one of the most effective ways to make them sustainable quickly.

With solar panels, you generate your own green power exactly where you need it. Modern solar panels are efficient, reliable and last for decades. Moreover, company roofs are often large and unused, so there is plenty of room to generate a significant amount of energy. Whether you have a logistics centre with a huge flat roof or an office building with a sloping roof, Shift to Solar provides a complete customised solar panel system. We take care of everything from design and installation to monitoring, so you can benefit from solar power carefree.

Advantages of rooftop solar panels:

• Lower energy costs: You can use much of the electricity generated directly yourself. That makes a big difference to your electricity bill. Any excess power can be fed back into the grid or stored for later use.
  
• Quick returns: Investing in solar panels is financially attractive. Thanks to falling panel prices, subsidies and tax breaks for companies (such as investment tax credits), you often earn back the investment within a few years. After that, you will enjoy virtually free electricity.
  
• Sustainable operations: With your own solar energy, you reduce your carbon emissions and dependence on fossil sources. You thereby meet sustainability criteria and possibly mandatory standards (e.g. a better energy label for your building).
  
• Unobtrusive and space-saving: Panels on the roof are hardly noticeable and do not interfere with business activities. You use existing surface, without taking up space on the ground.
  

Solar carports - renewable energy in your car park

A car park can be so much more than just a place to put cars. With a solar carport Transform your parking spaces into a source of renewable energy. A solar carport is a canopy for parking spaces with solar panels integrated into the roof. So you kill two birds with one stone: you provide shelter for vehicles and generate green electricity.

For companies with a lot of parking space (e.g. offices, hotels, shopping centres or business parks), this is a visible and effective sustainability solution. Employees and visitors now park under a high-tech roof that generates solar energy. If necessary, charging points for electric cars can be connected to this, so cars can charge directly with the generated electricity. Shift to Solar specialises in bespoke solar carports - from a few parking spaces to covering entire parking lots. The structures are robust and modularly expandable.

Why choose a solar carport:

• Double use of space: Your car park gets an additional function as a power plant, without any loss of parking capacity. Every square metre is utilised to the full.
  
• Comfort and protection: Cars are dry and sheltered from sun, rain and hail. This benefits the longevity and comfort of vehicles - a fine service for staff and customers.
  
• Charging infrastructure for EVs: A solar carport can easily be equipped with charging stations for electric cars. This way, you facilitate clean transport at your location, powered by your own solar energy.
  
• Visible sustainable image: Unlike roof panels (which are not always visible from street level), a solar carport makes a striking statement. Anyone driving onto the site will immediately see that your company is investing in innovative, clean energy. This makes an impression and reinforces your green image.
  

Bicycle stands with solar panels - puts e-mobility in the spotlight

Encouraging sustainable transport? Then take a look at bicycle parking. More and more employees and visitors come by e-bike, e-scooter or e-step. With a bicycle shed with solar panels Here too, you kill two birds with one stone: you provide a pleasant, sheltered storage place and you charge light electric vehicles with solar energy.

Shift to Solar designs solar bicycle shelters that fit perfectly into modern commercial buildings and sites. On top of the canopy are solar panels; under the canopy, people park their bikes or scooters safely and dry. The system can be equipped with charging points so that people can charge their e-bike battery on site without having to bring their own charger. This is an attractive facility for staff and visitors and encourages the use of sustainable transport. Moreover, you generate additional green electricity that can also be used for the building itself.

Plus points of a solar bike shed:

• Charging facility for e-bikes and more: Employees and guests can easily charge their e-bikes, e-steps or electric scooters during working hours or visits. The required power is generated on site by solar panels - 100% green and free.
  
• Protection against weather and theft: The canopy not only protects bikes from rain and sun, but also creates a neat, orderly storage space. This increases convenience and can discourage theft or vandalism by providing a fixed space.
  
• Encourages sustainable mobility: By providing good facilities for cyclists and users of light electric transport, you encourage sustainable commuting. This contributes to lower CO₂ emissions (fewer cars) and fitter employees.
  
• Compact and scalable: Solar bike stands take up relatively little space and can be extended modularly. Whether you have space for ten bikes or a hundred, a tailor-made solution can be created to grow with demand.
  

Business energy storage - always in control of your energy

Generating solar energy is step one, but what do you do at times when the sun is not shining or your consumption exceeds the output? That's when business energy storage in view. With a professional battery storage system, you store excess energy for later use. More and more companies are opting for such a business battery as part of their energy management as it greatly increases flexibility and reliability.

How does it work in practice? At sunny hours, your solar panels may generate more electricity than you need at that time. Without a battery, that excess electricity goes back to the grid, often at a lower charge than what you pay to purchase power. With your own battery, you store that surplus energy within your company. As soon as the sun goes down or there is extra demand, you can deploy the stored power. This means you need to buy less power from the grid. Moreover, a battery acts as a backup: in case of power cuts, you can keep crucial systems running.

The benefits of business battery storage:

• Maximum own consumption: You harness a greater proportion of the solar energy you generate yourself. This increases the efficiency of your solar installation and further reduces energy costs, as you need to buy less.
  
• Buffer for peak and trough: A battery lets you deploy energy smartly. Charge during production surplus or low demand, and use that power during peak hours or when the sun is not supplying. That way, you also reduce the burden of consumption peaks on the grid (and possibly the associated costs).
  
• Emergency power supply: In the event of an unexpected power failure, a linked battery system can act as an emergency power source. Your critical business processes can keep running, increasing business continuity.
  
• Future-proof energy management: The energy market is changing rapidly. With your own storage capacity, you are ready for future scenarios, such as variable energy tariffs or less attractive feed-in tariffs. You are in control of when and how you deploy energy.
  

Getting started with renewable energy

Every business is different. Maybe you already have a large roof available, or just a vast car park. Maybe you want to start small with a solar-powered bike shed, or invest big right away in a total solution including storage. Whatever your situation, Shift to Solar thinks with you. We specialise in these sustainable energy solutions and can coordinate them seamlessly for maximum results. From advice and design to installation and maintenance - you can count on a reliable partner with expert knowledge.

Ready for the next step? Don't wait any longer to make your operations more sustainable. Take contact with us for a non-binding consultation. We listen to your needs and challenges and provide honest, tailor-made advice. Discover how our innovative solar solutions can strengthen your business with lower energy costs, a green image and complete future-proofing.

Make the shift to solar and join us in setting a course towards a sustainable, profitable future for your business!