Solar Energy For Business Continuity Planning

The importance of business continuity planning (BCP)

Blackouts, brownouts, lack of a supply chain. Disaster could happen in many ways and stop businesses from accessing resources necessary for normal operation or stopping working. Despite how impossible this may be, preparation is vital in unexpected circumstances.

A business continuity plan can help you avoid the most disastrous scenario in your business. It involves identifying potential dangers and creating an action plan that could reduce the damage. Your business continuity plan will help safeguard your finances.

BCP Process

Step 1 – Assess the potential risks and impact to your business

First, you’ll want to assess the most crucial parts of your operation that you cannot operate without. These parts can include but are not limited to, your business vehicles, installation tools, employees, warehouse, and technology. How could your business still operate if any of these key factors suffered a cyber attack, natural disaster, illness, or theft? Creating a plan to combat all of these situations is the first step.

Step 2 – Develop a strategy to deal with the immediate aftermath of a disaster

Next, if any of these situations were to occur, you’ll need to have a strategic timeline in place. How are you going to resolve these issues in a timely manner? How will you get your company back on track for as normal operation? If your power supply was to go out, how would you be able to get back up and running as soon as possible?

Step 3 – Check your insurance policy to see what you’re covered for in a crisis

Finally, you’re going to want to compare your business continuity plan with your insurance policy. It is important to understand what crucial parts of your business are covered if something were to go wrong. For example, are your business vehicles covered by insurance if one was to be stolen? 

Are you ready for power outages?

There’s no denying that power outages can be frustrating. As a business, having the power needed to run your operation is crucial. Preparing for power outages is an important part to include in your business continuity plan. Do you have a backup power source to keep operations running? What are the most important pieces of your business to provide power for?

If your business runs on standard electricity, having a backup power source should be included on your BCP. However, while common generators can supply some power for you when the outage occurs, they may not be able to supply your entire operation. This is why having a prioritized list of everything you need to supply power to is a good idea. However, introducing solar power to your business and including a backup battery can resolve this issue.

Are you prepared for an EMP?

Electromagnetic pulses (EMP) are short bursts of electromagnetic radiation that can easily destroy your unprotected electronics and machinery in nearly seconds. These pulses are extremely quick and invisible to see, which makes it hard to know when the attack is happening until the damage is done.

Ensuring that your electronic devices and appliances in your facility are protected from EMPs is very important. However, doing this can be time-consuming and expensive. It is important to note that most solar panels are more likely to survive an EMP attack. While they may suffer little damage, an EMP will not cause any harm that cannot be fixed.

Improve Supply Chain Management With Solar Energy

Power outages at your business facility can lead to your operation being less productive. Most of the time, these scenarios are out of your control. However, introducing solar power to your business can help prevent these common issues. Solar power is better for the environment, more efficient, and more reliable than using traditional electricity.

Minimize Disruptions to Your Business With Commercial Solar Energy Storage and Backup

When you pair your solar panels with a battery backup system, power outages can be a thing of the past. Solar energy storage systems are a great way to prevent outages at your business. They work by storing and reserving power and are available to use if something goes wrong. While outages with solar panels are less common, its always a great idea to have a backup power source.  

SEM Power’s Commercial Energy Storage Systems

Energy Storage System Advantages

The state of Florida experiences  50-100 power outages per year, which can be very disruptive to a business. Solar energy storage systems come to the rescue when this occurs by supplying you with the power your commercial business needs to operate. Additionally, using a battery backup system can save your business money by using its stored backup power during peak times to cut demand costs.

Keep your critical business processes up and running

Our innovative Commercial Energy Storage Systems help large-scale electricity customers make their energy budgets go further. Our systems take advantage of cost savings opportunities like reducing costly demand charge spikes, optimizing storage with favorable time-of-use rates and minimizing capacity charges – all while ensuring optimal power factor.

Efficient renewable energy generation, coupled with high-capacity solar energy storage, can enable a commercial or industrial facility to build its own independent microgrid, which can operate autonomously during power outages or high-demand times. Such a setup can promote grid resilience, reduce grid dependence, and provide long-term savings. At SEM Power, we offer efficient, innovative solutions for commercial solar energy storage in Florida.

Costs of Commercial Solar Energy Storage Installation

The cost of setting up an energy storage solution may depend on various factors, including battery material (lead acid or lithium-ion), usable capacity, and installation costs. The lifespan of your solar battery storage system will also play a role in determining long-term solar storage costs. Generally, you can expect a solar battery to last 5-15 years. Proper maintenance and protection from extreme temperatures can increase a battery’s lifespan.

Advantages of Commercial Microgrids

Microgrids are a great option for producing solar energy for commercial buildings. These microgrids are reliable, as they are able to operate independently from the main power grid. Additionally, these grids can be beneficial to your finances, as they are able to detect when they should be saving and storing energy. 

When a natural disaster strikes, the microgrids are able to detect the change in weather by receiving signals from the main grid. This can be very beneficial to your BCP, as the grids will be saving backup power for you to use when a storm hits your area. 

Partner with SEM Power Today to Leverage Incentives and Rebates for Solar Energy

SEM Power delivers clean solar energy systems that reduce energy costs for Florida homes, businesses, and communities. Our best-in-class solar panel technology and experienced solar service experts can help you save and enjoy clean, renewable solar energy.