We debunk five of the most common misplaced assumptions from businesses weighing up a solar PPA
As onsite solar PPAs catch on in the UK, there remain some common assumptions around the accessibility and viability of the offering. In this article, we take a look at five of the most frequent of these solar PPA myths, and why these conclusions are misplaced.
MYTH: On-site PPAs aren’t available to businesses who lease their sites
Whilst some PPA providers only support owner occupiers who are able to sign long-term contracts (ie: 20-25 years), this definitely isn’t the case for all providers.
Even if your lease only has a few years remaining on it, Two Blues Solar can still offer you a PPA as long as we can get your landlord’s agreement to remain on the roof after your lease ends. Many landlords are happy to allow this as solar can improve the EPC ratings of their building, is attractive to future tenants and boosts their sustainability credentials.
MYTH: If I sign a long-term PPA, I’m trapped in it and can’t break it
PPA contracts typically include a break-clause. Two Blues Solar will always give you a year-by-year breakdown within your contract so you know exactly how much it will cost you to break the agreement at any time.
It’s also worth noting that at the end of the PPA contract, ownership of the system transfers to the freeholder who can then benefit from free energy for the rest of the panel’s life.
MYTH: The cheapest PPA is always the best one
Whilst price will of course be a very important factor, there are lots of other things that you should consider, including: the quality and experience of the installer that the PPA provider is partnering with, the minimum consumption requirement, the source of the funding and the long-term monitoring and maintenance package.
There are quite a few other things to consider so read more about how to compare PPA quotes in our full article.
MYTH: PPA contracts are long, complicated and time-consuming
In truth, this can sometimes be the case! However, Two Blues Solar was set up to do PPAs differently. We have worked hard to make our PPA documentation as simple, short, transparent and flexible as possible. If you’d like to find out more about how PPAs work, please get in touch with us.
MYTH: By signing up to a long-term PPA, there’s a big risk my PPA price will exceed the market energy price in future
Firstly, nothing in life is certain! So of course this risk does exist. However, energy prices are likely only going in one direction. So if there’s a reasonable gap between the PPA price you’re offered now and your existing energy price, this risk is pretty low. Read more about this in our recent article.
Having said that, Two Blues Solar may also be able to offer you a way of eliminating this risk entirely with our “Discount to Market” price offer. This fixes your price at a set discount to your prevailing energy price each year. Get in touch to find out more.