The most profitable business in the energy sector. Alternative energy as a business


Now we offer you several interesting business ideas that allow you to get energy “out of nothing.”

Rotate - charge

What to do if your cell phone is dead and there is no outlet nearby? The problem can be solved by using an innovative battery. In appearance, it is no different from the usual one, with the exception of the through hole made in it. Specially developed technology allows you to charge the battery by rotating it on your finger. To successfully send an SMS, twenty to thirty turns of the battery is enough, for a two-minute conversation on the phone - about a hundred. The developers hope that such batteries will be in demand among hikers, fishermen, hunters and simply lovers of everything unusual.

Oil from bottles

Specialists from the American company Envion have invented a method for processing plastic bottles into petroleum products. At the same time, the developers note that their method of extracting hydrocarbon raw materials is environmentally friendly, since it is based on the use of thermal cracking in a vacuum and does not involve the use of chemical catalysts. At the same time, the cost per ton of the finished product is only $17. 10 thousand tons of plastic produces 50 thousand barrels of oil.

Dance into electricity

The owners of one of the nightclubs located in London solved the problem of power supply in a very original way by equipping the dance floor of the establishment with special panels that convert the energy from the pressure of human feet during dance movements into electricity. All visitors at the entrance sign a special agreement to participate in the process of generating electricity. Thus, it is possible to cover up to 60% of all the electricity needed by the club and significantly save on utility bills.

It's a matter of time

In the next 100-150 years, hydrocarbon fuels will remain uncompetitive due to their prevalence and relatively low cost. However, modern technologies and developments are making alternative energy sources increasingly cheaper and accessible. In addition, do not forget that oil, coal and natural gas will sooner or later run out. Therefore, the potential for business in the field of alternative energy is enormous.

Source: B.E. Ratnikov, http://www.elitarium.ru


In a broad sense, the energy business is any commercial (entrepreneurial) activity in the sectors of the fuel and energy complex, including the use of energy resources. Its end results are a variety of energy products and services - goods intended for sale in the relevant markets. Its products should be considered electrical and thermal energy produced at power plants and various heat sources.

Energy services are divided into two types: energy supply services and services. First cover the activities of suppliers in the transmission of energy through trunk and distribution electric and heat networks, as well as in the sale (trade) of energy resources. Second(services) include many types of a wide variety of auxiliary services in the areas of generation, transmission, marketing and beneficial use of energy. This includes, in particular, repair maintenance, services for rationalizing energy consumption (increasing energy efficiency), engineering (technical solutions and modernization projects), billing (measurements and calculations).

Depending on the adopted models of energy markets, the forms of organization energy business . Thus, individual business functions can be concentrated in independent energy companies: generating, network (transmission and distribution), sales, service. In energy holding They will be carried out by subsidiaries coordinated by the corporate center (management company). In vertically integrated organizations, specialized business functions are performed by production structures with varying degrees of economic independence and responsibility.

It should also be noted that the business in question is based not only on private ownership of energy assets. Indeed, in a market economy, federal and regional executive authorities, as well as local governments, can act as a subject making profit from economic activity. Subject to effective public control, they make decisions based on generally accepted commercial criteria and even enter into competitive relationships with representatives of private business. At the same time, they can lease their property to private operating companies, which take control of the relevant assets and ensure highly economical and reliable operation of energy facilities. Finally, to one degree or another, they can participate in the share capital of energy companies, up to and including owning controlling stakes.

It is especially necessary to say about industrial energy as an area of ​​energy business. Here we should pay attention to the trend of commercialization of the energy sector of enterprises and the separation of internal energy supply into a separate business function, starting from the granting of economic independence to energy sector divisions (on the principles of self-sufficiency) and ending with the creation of separate energy supply companies in the structure of large industrial corporations. Another important factor is the construction of their own energy sources and the entry of energy-intensive enterprises into markets as sellers of energy resources (primarily electrical and thermal energy). All this allows us to consider industrial energy as an important part of modern business structures in the fields of electricity and heat supply.

Attractiveness for investors

It is known that energy facilities are initially particularly capital-intensive and repair-intensive, and investments in the electric power industry have relatively long payback periods. Moreover, in this industry there will always be a very unfavorable ratio for investors between the selling price of electricity and the cost of fixed capital. The situation is aggravated when these factors are projected onto Russian reality: high physical depreciation of fixed capital and the low technical and economic level of the production apparatus, and in anticipation of the expected high rates of economic growth. Therefore, there is a serious problem of attracting investments for the domestic energy business, the mechanisms for solving which are only in their infancy.

The attractiveness of business in the field of electricity and heat is determined by the assessments of owners (investors) of the potential opportunities for realizing their interests (mainly financial goals). It is expressed, in particular, in such indicators as:

  • inflow (outflow) of investments into the industry;
  • frequency of changes of owners in main businesses (generation, transmission, sales);
  • share of private business in electricity turnover.

Choosing a business type carried out on the basis of economic assessments and subjective preferences. Among the latter, they consider their financial and organizational capabilities, experience, education, ambitions, attitude to risk in business and other individual characteristics.

Attractiveness ratings are differentiated by type of business and are formed taking into account the following main factors:

  • requirements for products (services) - functional purpose and quality characteristics;
  • expected return on invested capital;
  • the nature of demand for products (services);
  • type of activity (monopoly, competitive);
  • market entry conditions;
  • risks.

Let's consider the above factors in relation to the main types of energy production business.

Products (services). Electrical energy and thermal energy are products of general consumption that have standard quality parameters (frequency and voltage, pressure and temperature). Therefore, the markets in which these energy resources are traded are characterized by colossal capacity, powerful financial flows and a virtual absence of product innovation, which increases their structural stability. All these features taken together certainly contribute to the comparative attractiveness of the energy business as a whole. Changes in the range of products that are very disturbing for business, motivated in other industries by non-price competition, often quite severe (cellular communications, computers, etc.), are impossible here. There will always be a demand for this product.

However, it should be borne in mind that although in the vast majority of cases there really is no alternative to electricity as an energy carrier, this does not mean that it will be purchased at any given price. After all, if the price exceeds a certain acceptable level, then some will consume it, but will stop paying; it is necessary to take into account that energy enterprises, essentially, lend their customers, since production and consumption coincide in time, but do not coincide with the established payment terms. Another part of consumers will react in a more civilized and adequate manner - they will switch to self-sufficiency in energy and power. Let us note that these are, as a rule, the most profitable clients for the electric power industry - large energy-intensive industrial enterprises. In this regard, the energy business cannot but take into account the low purchasing power of the majority of the population in Russian regions in the foreseeable future and the threat of losing significant financial revenues from industry as a result of neglecting price competition on the part of powerful consumers. These are realities that, of course, reduce the potential efficiency of the energy business in our country.

There is one more point. Even if a certain part of commodity producers accept high prices, this will naturally provoke dangerous inflationary processes, which, as a result of trade turnover, will ultimately hit the source itself - the irresponsible energy business. What will happen next is quite clear without comment.

Profitability. The amount of profit received per unit of invested capital depends on many factors: the cost of the fixed assets of the object; selling prices (tariffs) for energy resources; fuel prices; power and technical and economic efficiency of power plants. Due to the current relationship between energy tariffs and the capital intensity of energy facilities in general, the return on invested capital in the electricity and heat power industries is below the industrial average. But it varies significantly within the energy industry, in particular depending on the types of power installations that power plants, boiler houses and other energy enterprises are equipped with. For example, today profitability may be relatively higher for gas turbine and combined cycle gas plants of small capacity than for large power plants, and the profitability of heat sources is greater than that of electricity generating facilities. Private capital, which is quite natural, is rushing into those areas of energy where financial efficiency is currently at the level of maximum values. However, this is not always in the long-term public interest.

Demand. The dynamics of energy demand have a great impact on the efficiency of the business in question. As is known, energy enterprises are characterized by a high level of capital intensity and a significant share of fixed costs in production costs. For such industries, any change in sales revenue always generates a stronger change in profit (the effect of “operating leverage”). Moreover, the higher the share of fixed costs, the greater this effect.

An important conclusion follows from this: in conditions of steadily growing demand, the efficiency, and therefore the attractiveness of energy business of almost all types, increases sharply, and with falling demand, they decrease just as intensively. Moreover, in the latter case, the business expects losses if they cannot be compensated by prices or diversification of activities. In this regard, we note that the expected dynamics of demand for heat and electricity in Russian conditions creates favorable opportunities for business.

If demand begins to grow at a consistently high rate, then the efficiency of this business will be maximum. Otherwise, even bankruptcy of energy companies (especially those with a large share of borrowed resources in their invested capital) cannot be ruled out.

Kind of activity. In competitive types of business (for example, generation), prices are not regulated by the state, but are formed under the influence of supply and demand. Free prices attract business and motivate technological investments, since all profits received remain with the owner and are not subject to any restrictions. However, it must be remembered that the owner assumes all investment risk (of course, in conditions of real competition among producers). It is clear that the weaker the competition, the more attractive entry into the market becomes.

In a monopoly activity (energy transmission), prices are regulated and therefore certain limits on profits are established, for example, for an electricity distribution company. In this case, it becomes possible to shift (at least partially) the investment risk to the consumer, since the established tariff must guarantee a return on investment. Tariffs in such a market are usually more predictable than in a competitive one, and it is always possible to justify a more acceptable price to the regulator.

Entering the market. A person (legal or individual) who has passed the qualification selection and taken ownership of an energy facility receives a license to participate in the energy market. Next, the business entity gains access to the network infrastructure and enters into contractual relations with other market participants. However, it should be emphasized that under certain conditions the owner may experience serious difficulties in entering the market. Thus, the reason for this may be the oligopolistic structure of the wholesale market, which has developed as a result of a merger of companies, as a reaction to the intensification of competition. At the same time, a few large suppliers are not interested in new companies entering the market and will try to block it, for example, through coordinated price manipulation. It follows from the above that the absence of discriminatory barriers at all stages of entry into the market is an important additional incentive for energy business entities.

Risks. When assessing the attractiveness of an energy business, it is recommended to pay attention to the following types of risks:

  • investment;
  • price;
  • financial;
  • technical;
  • adjustable

Risk analysis is designed to answer two questions: a) how significant is this risk? b) how can it be neutralized?

Investment risk- this is the risk of loss of profit when implementing an investment project. It can be significantly reduced if we switch to the construction of low-power combined energy supply plants using advanced gas turbine technologies. In the case of large objects, government guarantees of project profitability are required (provided, in particular, to the winners of investment auctions).

Price risk. It is caused, firstly, by irregular daily fluctuations in electricity prices on the organized (exchange) wholesale market. As a result, it is extremely difficult to organize the production planning process in a company, even in the short term. The solution to the problem is to develop a powerful (over-the-counter) market for bilateral long-term contracts and insure price risks in organized (exchange) markets for financial contracts; secondly, the uncertainty of the future dynamics of natural gas prices. For now, we can confidently say that prices will rise. However, much depends on the policy of reforming the gas industry.

Financial risk associated with non-payments by consumers, as well as violations of financial obligations by various participants in energy markets. The risk of non-payments falls on energy supply companies, which prompts them to pay special attention to combating commercial losses (theft) of energy. In particular, it is recommended to identify “at-risk” groups among consumers and establish more stringent conditions when concluding an energy supply contract. It would be advisable to introduce special insurance for financial risks of energy sales organizations.

Technical risk- this is the threat of equipment failures, a decrease in the technical reliability of electricity and heat supply, and interruptions in the supply of energy to consumers. Technological processes at energy enterprises are highly complex, which requires highly qualified, and therefore very expensive, operating, maintenance and management personnel. In addition, energy enterprises operate in a complex system of multi-channel external relations with designers, builders, installers, suppliers of fuel, equipment, repair and other services. A large number of different contracts and strict quality requirements for the listed services objectively make the energy business more risk-taking than any other. Fundamental neutralization of this risk requires the company to have an appropriate technical policy and highly qualified technical management. At the same time, it is advisable to introduce differentiated payments for reliability in the retail and wholesale markets, i.e. consider reliability as a special type of targeted energy supply service. Reliability can also be considered as an object of insurance.

Regulatory risk generated by unexpected and business-unfriendly actions by energy regulators. Moreover, it can take place both in the competitive and monopoly sectors. It manifests itself in many aspects: pricing, environmental regulation, tax regulation, energy supply reliability standards, market rules.

Note that this is a type of risk that a business entity cannot practically influence. Therefore, owners tend to react particularly sensitively to it, and its impact on the attractiveness of the energy business is significant. Therefore, it is necessary that all regulatory decisions be extremely transparent and predictable. If the actions of the regulator, taken in line with the public interest, cause economic damage to private business, then it must be compensated without fail in one form or another.

Thus, as a general conclusion, it should be concluded that the energy business, which is very prestigious in any country, is at the same time characterized by high complexity, social responsibility and risk in many aspects. Moreover, in connection with the management of the considered risks, the participation of the state is crucial: this is, firstly, legal support for the actions of business entities to neutralize risks; secondly, a system of financial guarantees for investors operating in high-risk environments and companies specifically participating in national energy programs; thirdly, an effective business regulation mechanism that minimizes external risks for owners of energy facilities.

To date, the total volume of capital investments in energy development has exceeded 1 trillion. dollars, which indicates the huge interest of investors in the development of this industry. For example, in the list of development priorities of such a world-famous company as Shell, alternative energy is in second place after the gas industry.

If we talk about specific states, the leaders here are the following countries:

  • China;
  • Germany;
  • Austria;
  • Denmark and other Scandinavian countries.

Nowadays in Europe, alternative sources account for approximately 8-10% of all energy produced. According to experts, by 2025 their market share may increase to 25%. To be fair, it is worth noting that the development of alternative energy is far from cheap, so only economically developed countries can afford to invest in this industry.

In Russia

Our country doesn’t have much to boast about yet. Today we have about two dozen solar power plants and about the same number of wind power plants. Most of them are located in Crimea. There are several geothermal stations operating in Kamchatka. There are several biogas stations, in particular in the Belgorod region and others. Several dozen more facilities for the production of energy from alternative sources are at the design and preparation stage for construction.

Russian oil and gas companies today are more engaged in solving applied problems, for example, creating combined installations that are capable of producing electricity from several natural sources at once. As an example, we can cite the successfully implemented projects of RN-Krasnodarneftegaz and RN-Purneftegaz for the installation of wind generators with integrated solar panels in a number of regions of the country.

However, there is no talk yet about solving any strategic problems on a nationwide scale. And here we are talking not only about the reluctance of business and the state to invest in the development of alternative energy, but also about a number of objective reasons, which will be discussed below.

Solar power plants (SPP)

One of the promising areas for the development of alternative energy production. It would seem that there is nothing simpler - install a lot of solar panels and live without worrying. But it's not that simple. Despite the enormous potential of solar power plants, their construction is associated with a number of difficulties. Experts include:

  • quite high cost of construction (costs per 1 kW of power are several thousand dollars, which is much higher than that of the same thermal power plants);
  • low efficiency (the efficiency of solar panels is 16%, that is, for example, in Russia, 1 square meter of solar panels can produce about 160 W of electricity);
  • limited service life (over 20 years of service, the power of electricity produced by solar panels is reduced by approximately 15%);
  • dependence on weather conditions and time of day;
  • difficulties associated with transportation and storage (batteries cost several times more than the solar cells themselves).

It is clear that it is most profitable to place solar power plants in areas close to the equator, since there is only 1 sq. m. can be extracted many times more than in Europe or Russia. However, there are still no sufficiently effective and cheap ways to store and transport the electricity produced in this way. I would like to hope that in the not too distant future these problems will be resolved. Today, these technologies are actively being developed in countries such as Germany and China, which are considered leaders in the use of solar energy. Work is also underway to increase the efficiency of solar cells. There are already batteries whose efficiency exceeds 40%, but the cost of their production is still very high.

Wind generators

Wind is one of the oldest sources of energy. Humanity has been using it for many millennia. Windmills can serve as prototypes of wind generators, and the very first wind generator was developed in Denmark back in 1890. Today, Scandinavia is one of the world leaders in the field of converting wind energy into electricity. Countries such as Germany, Spain and others do not lag behind Denmark and Norway. By the way, the first wind generator in Russia (its power was 100 kW, and its blade span was 30 meters) also appeared relatively long ago - in 1933, but later the technology did not receive proper development. Today, on the territory of our country, “wind turbines” are installed in the Kaliningrad, Rostov, Murmansk regions, Chuvashia, Chukotka and other Russian regions, but their number in terms of the total electricity production in our country is negligible.

The main disadvantages of converting wind into electricity are the relatively long payback period for investments and dependence on meteorological conditions. Therefore, today active developments are underway in the field of creating so-called BC stations - installations that can simultaneously or alternately (depending on the weather) generate electricity from wind and sunlight.

In total, according to meteorologists, wind produces more than 1.5 trillion annually on our planet. kW of energy. The main thing is to learn how to use it competently and most effectively.

Biofuel

It has both its supporters and opponents. The first argue their position by the fact that the reserves of various biomass suitable for processing into gas and other types of fuel on the planet are enormous. The material can be waste from the woodworking industry and the agro-industrial complex. For example, in Russia, waste from the activities of agricultural enterprises amounts to 600 million tons per year. Here we are talking about:

  • chicken droppings;
  • cow and pig manure;
  • waste from slaughterhouses;
  • silo, etc.

On average, 50-60 cubic meters of biogas can be obtained from one ton of waste.

Opponents of the use of biofuel primarily say that it cannot be considered a fully environmental product, since traditional hydrocarbon carriers are involved in production.

However, the high level of efficiency, which can reach 50-60%, and the huge reserves of biomass on the planet indicate that this type of production will actively develop in the future. Countries such as Spain, China and Japan are actively engaged in development in this area, where they are now actively working on technologies for extracting biogas and even aviation fuel from seaweed.

Russia today has experience of interesting developments in the field of creating small biomass processing plants. They can be successfully used to provide energy resources to the same agricultural enterprises.

Can alternative energy generate income?

Definitely yes. However, the implementation of large projects also requires quite serious capital investments, which will not pay off in a year or two. That is, long-term investments are needed, which only large domestic companies can afford.

Small and medium-sized enterprises also have quite serious prospects, which can earn a good income by doing:

  • production of solar panels and or wind generators;
  • servicing of installations;
  • installation of wind generators and other equipment.

Solar cells and wind turbines are becoming more accessible to ordinary homeowners. If 5-7 years ago the cost of a 5 kW wind generator was about 500-700 thousand rubles, today they can be purchased at a price of 130 thousand. They can be used to equip country houses, small rural settlements, etc.

According to the heads of companies that are already engaged in the production and sale of such installations, the difficulty lies in finding a stable sales market. It's all about the long-term payback of the equipment, which for the same wind generators ranges from 5 to 7 years. It is not so easy to find people willing to do so among the population in the central regions of the country, who have free access to traditional and currently cheaper mainline energy sources. However, in Russia there are many remote and hard-to-reach areas that still do not have electricity and gas supplies and can consume a significant amount of goods and services produced in the field of alternative energy.

In the era of hydrocarbon dominance, when humanity cannot live even a minute without some kind of energy, gas, oil and coal will always have a “good” final price for the consumer, the tariffs for which are constantly growing, since the demand for them is stable, and the price is controlled by natural monopoly of the state. Regardless of the exchange price for these energy resources. Therefore, a stable demand for alternative energy sources has formed in this niche. Which can be satisfied with benefit for yourself.

Well-known and accessible alternative (renewable) energy sources have been familiar to us for a long time - these are wind, water and solar energy. Since ancient times, the energy of wind and water has helped humanity - they turned mills, inflated forges, and forced large ships to move under sail. And if the energy of these environments is used only locally, where it is found in the required quantities, then the sun is available to us almost everywhere. And new inexpensive but highly efficient technologies for collecting and processing solar radiation into electricity or heat make solar energy accessible to a wide range of the population.

Currently, the transition to the use of solar panels has become a popular service among both individuals and large organizations. In many countries where the sun shines all year round, solar energy has become firmly established in the everyday life of consumers. There are entire cities with full-fledged energy based on sunlight. Also in many countries this procedure is stimulated by the state. In Spain, since 2007, all new houses are equipped with solar panels for heating water. This approach provides up to 70% of the hot water supply demand. And new non-residential buildings must have solar equipment to produce electricity from solar radiation. In Germany, all active users of solar panels receive subsidies from the state.

In Russia there is a definition of renewable energy sources (RES) in Art. 3 35-FZ “On Electric Power Industry”. But, in fact, the private use of renewable energy sources is not regulated in any way. Although the state is concerned about this problem. So, for April 2017, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation is preparing a proposal to support private microgeneration of energy. If the proposal is accepted, the use of renewable energy sources in private households will receive government support and the necessary subsidies, for example, in the form of preferential taxation and legal registration of such installations for alternative energy.

The popularity of solar microgeneration is due not only to the availability of solar radiation, but also to other undeniable advantages:

  • Solar energy is the cleanest and safest energy,
  • Modern equipment is available for domestic use, can be easily installed into existing utility networks,
  • The equipment has a simple design, but at the same time is almost completely automated, in comparison with equipment operating on other energy sources,
  • The service life of such equipment has one of the longest life cycles, and does not require regular expensive maintenance,
  • The cost of the initial kit is around 28-35 thousand rubles. Which is comparable to the cost of conventional large household appliances,
  • The equipment can be easily placed in any architectural design of a building without “damage” to the technical properties of the building. There are also original solutions that allow you to equip various equipment with a solar station - from buses to small vessels, for example, yachts, boats, motor ships.

Also, a key advantage that can be highlighted for Russia is the ability of modern equipment to work quite effectively with sunlight even in midland conditions. That is, this is the most important characteristic that makes the equipment useful to the majority of Russian residents, and not just those living in the southern regions of the country.

Types of solar energy

Solar energy itself “hints” us at two main types that we can receive - heat and electricity. Depending on what kind of energy you are going to receive from the Sun, the equipment used also differs.

Attention! A moment of tedium. Various business ideas and startup sources describe solutions, terms, and concepts that may be confusing to you. For example, on one website they suggest using a solar collector to generate electricity. And the resulting electricity is used to heat water. And they call it a solar hot water installation. From a functional point of view, it describes an extremely inefficient way to use solar energy, especially if you collect radiation and generate electricity using a collector. And below in the article we will explain why.

How to get electricity from solar energy

Used to generate electricity from sunlight classic solar panels(electric solar installations) on photocells that convert solar energy into direct current. Since solar activity is unstable depending on the time of day, and direct current is unsuitable for most public power grids, the solar mini-power station is equipped with a battery pack ( charge controller + batteries) and a DC-AC converter ( inverter). During solar activity, electricity is produced in excess by solar panels. And this excess energy accumulates in batteries. And in the evening and at night, when the peak of consumption occurs, the accumulated charge from the batteries is spent on consumers.

The applicability of such installations is extensive and suitable even for very temperate climates characterized by low solar activity (up to 100 W per square meter). The scope is also wide. Electric solar power plants can be used to supply power to dachas, cottages, private farms and other structures that require electricity.

In places where, due to weak solar activity, solar power plants are able to replace only part of the main electric current, combined stations are used, which can be fed from external power grids. But such a replacement allows you to significantly save on electricity. And if electricity consumption at the site is minimal, then even weak solar energy can completely replace all electricity supplies from power plants. And make the power supply facility independent and more economical.

Solar battery produces electric current

There are many different offers on the market in the form of ready-made kits or individual elements for self-assembly of a solar installation. The cost of such kits varies depending on the region, power, application conditions, and other things. If you plan to implement this business idea and start installing solar power plants, then by finding wholesale suppliers, you will also receive all the necessary theoretical information, starting from the methodology for calculating and selecting equipment, to the features of its operation in your region.

How to get thermal energy from the Sun

In addition to electricity, useful heat can be obtained from solar radiation. This requires equipment other than solar panels. As you remember, we mentioned solar collectors above. So, the device for collecting thermal energy from the Sun is called - solar collector. Unlike solar panels, a solar collector does not generate electricity, but heats the coolant material (water, air, oil, antifreeze, etc.) using visible sunlight and near-infrared radiation. Solar thermal units are used directly for direct production of hot water supply (hot water preparation) or space heating (heating of the coolant in the heating system). That is, as you understand, it is very difficult to get clean electricity from the collector, much less spend it on heating water. But there is nothing easier than getting hot water in a collector. However, the authors of other business ideas do not understand this and are trying to tell you what they themselves do not know. Beware of fakes. . No registration or SMS.

Solar collectors are of two types − flat and vacuum. The principle of operation in both cases is the same - the coolant is heated inside the collector for its subsequent delivery to the consumer.

Flat solar collector— simplified is an absorber (storage) of solar energy, which it transfers to the coolant (heating of the coolant). The advantages of such a solar installation are low cost and ease of operation (can operate without maintenance for up to 10 years), extremely high efficiency in warm climates. Disadvantages - it does not work even at moderately low temperatures; for good efficiency, extremely large areas are required to place the panels.

Vacuum solar collector- a kind of vacuum thermos, it is the vacuum that allows you to accumulate, retain and transfer heat in the collector. The effectiveness of this operating principle reaches up to 95%.

Advantages of a vacuum type solar thermal installation:

  • Effective even at low temperatures (manufacturers guarantee performance down to -30 degrees Celsius).
  • It heats the coolant to higher temperatures than flat-plate collectors - therefore it is suitable for central Russia with a cold climate.
  • Lightness, convenience and simplicity in installation of a solar installation.

Disadvantages of vacuum solar collectors- it cannot independently clear itself of snow, frost and ice. Which greatly affects the efficiency of the installation. The collector requires constant monitoring and has a higher equipment cost compared to flat-plate collectors.


The solar collector heats water or coolant

There is currently a wide selection of both types of collectors on the market. There are also combined thermal-electric solar installations; they are equipped with photocells to generate electricity. The resulting electricity is small and is usually spent on the operation of the kit.

As in the case of solar panels, representatives of manufacturing companies and wholesalers are ready to provide training on the calculation, installation and maintenance of solar thermal equipment. It is somewhat more complex and in some places differs in detail from equipment for solar electricity.

The essence of starting a business selling and installing solar panels

The most important and first action when implementing this business idea is to find partners. You must find wholesale suppliers or manufacturers of solar panels, collectors and additional equipment. This is what your entire business depends on. Whatever theory you have, without a material basis the theory is empty.

After choosing partners, you need to undergo training in the calculation and installation of the presented installations. For more optimal business, you can choose several manufacturers (for example, China and Europe) with similar installation principles, but different costs/quality of equipment, for example, cheap Chinese and expensive European equipment. This way you can meet the demand of different consumers. And you will be able to serve not only simple requests, but also quite complex objects.

After studying the nuances and theory, you can begin to actively promote your services among the population. Your clients are farm owners, organizers of private farms, the food industry, owners of cottages and houses. That is, wherever electricity, heat and hot water are needed. Your assistants in promoting services are the sun, environmental friendliness and independence from the cost of classic energy sources.

A few numbers for a solar power business

The initial wholesale cost of a solar installation starts from 20 thousand rubles (electricity) and 80 thousand rubles (thermal energy). The cost of the same installation for the consumer adds up to 20...50% of the wholesale cost. Direct installation of installations costs the consumer 5…10% of the cost of the equipment.

The average estimated number of orders for your region is up to 5 pieces per month. Your approximate profit with 5 orders per month and a minimum configuration of installations is 55 thousand rubles per order. For the calculation, we take a cheap installation for electricity costing 20 thousand rubles, the cost of this solar installation for the end client is 30 thousand (+50%). Installation of equipment +5%. It turns out 5 * 30,000 + 5% = 157,500 rubles. Costs - 5 * 20 = 100,000 rubles. Total, your net profit for the month 57,500 rubles. In the calculation, we did not take into account the delivery of equipment to the customer, its subsequent maintenance and modernization.

In the future, your number of orders will increase, as word of mouth will help you find larger orders and regular customers.

Also, an interesting advantage of this business is that you do not need to allocate initial funds for the purchase of equipment. Installation is carried out with a traditional tool that is found in any garage. A solar installation is usually assembled for the end user. That is, the prepayment for the first order will go towards the purchase of solar equipment. This way your investment is minimal.

The main disadvantage of this business is that the population is extremely distrustful of this type of energy and therefore you will have to tell the client all the information from scratch - from economic efficiency to the technical reliability of installations. However, with the right advertising and approach, your event will pay for itself within 6-8 months.

Additionally, you can open your own online store selling solar equipment to individuals.

Find out how to get a permit in your state. In most cases, authorization will be required for most subsidies and incentives. It may take up to two years to obtain various permits. First of all, make sure you understand what you are getting into.

Create your business plan. A business plan should include not only options for obtaining financing, but also ways to find clients.

Include expenses, clients, contacts, and contracts in your business plan.

  • The costs are pretty self-explanatory. These include the money to start a business, how to get money from clients, and the time frame in which this should happen.
  • Clients – this is also quite obvious. Without customers, there is no business, and you need to decide which customers you will target and how you are going to attract them. There are several target markets for solar energy businesses. Are you going to work with consumers among the population or with commercial customers? Are you going to target the wealthy crowd or the middle class? You need to find answers to these questions because you can't just open a business and expect customers to come. You will need to target a specific market and target it.
  • Contacts relate to several different types of people. These include companies you'll turn to for help starting a business, including capital and training resources. There are many different sources of capital, including venture capitalists, banks, business angels, and friends and family.
  • Contracts. One of the most overlooked parts of any business plan is getting the contracts right. Negotiating contracts costs little, but failing to do so can lead to the collapse of your business through no fault of your own. We're not saying that all of your contracts should be written before you start your solar business, but you do need to have a clear understanding of what contracts you'll need and how you're going to draft and implement them.

  • Start your own business. Several businesses related to solar energy:

    • Solar Power System Installation Business – Installation of an Entire Solar Power System
    • Solar Power System Sales Business – Selling systems to homeowners and businesses to earn a commission on each sale
    • Solar power system manufacturing business - manufacturing of panels and other related parts, including tripods, inverters and so on.
    • Solar power system spare parts business – sale of solar power systems and parts purchased from wholesalers and manufacturing companies
    • Solar Tax Credit Specialist - Helping businesses understand solar tax credits to ensure they receive the proper tax credits
    • Solar Energy Consultant – knows all aspects of the business and helps individuals and companies understand the business and how they can be helped in their transition to solar energy resources
    • Solar Energy System Maintenance Business - Offers annual technical inspections of installed systems to troubleshoot problems and find other ways to reduce energy consumption.
    • Energy Consultant – Focuses on all types of alternative energy and other ways to conserve energy and sells his services to both homeowners and businesses

  • Installation. There are many types of solar power systems, but in this case we are talking about rooftop solar systems. This is the most popular type of system, and the most sought after by homeowners. Several other types of systems include floor systems; systems designed for mounting on a rod; thermal solar systems. They all work in the same way with the goal of replacing power consumption.

    Create a website. One of the must-haves for your marketing campaign is creating a website. No tech business is complete without a website, and contrary to popular belief, it doesn't cost thousands of dollars. One good tip is to go to Elance.com or Guru.com and place a web design order. You will receive many offers and can work with anyone you choose. It is best to have a layout for your website, this can be easily created in Microsoft Word. Look at other websites for solar energy businesses and use them as a guide.

    Use social media. This is a must for any solar energy business. By social media we mean Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and many others. You can create your account for free and simply post updates about what you're doing and how your business is doing. You don't want to spam potential clients, but it would be great if you gave them a discount or even just posted photos of the system installation process.



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