News Article
Tax Incentives Inspires Rooftop Opportunities
A North Carolina, USA, company is leading the drive for renewable energy sources to reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuels by helping Tarheel companies turn their commercial and industrial rooftops into cash-generating solar power plants.
Hamlin Energy Solutions, based in Garner, NC, designs and installs innovative thin-film laminate solar panel systems that can be applied directly to existing roof surfaces on commercial, industrial or government buildings.
According to Will Hamlin, executive vice president of Hamlin Energy Solutions, North Carolina customers benefit from a significant tax incentive when they choose to install a solar power system. "The combined state and Federal tax incentives are worth up to 65% of the initial cost of the solar power system, and with the accelerated depreciation schedule of five years, plus the value of the electric power generated, many North Carolina customers could convert their rooftops from an expense to a cash-generating asset."
The key to the system's lower installation cost are the thin-film flexible solar panels - just 1/8" thick - that can be adhered directly to an existing roof surface. Because the panels don't require multiple roof penetrations and add no significant structural weight to the roof, they have a much lower installed lifecycle cost per watt of power delivered. The laminate solar panels are also designed to capture sunlight across the light spectrum, enabling the system to produce electricity throughout the day--during the early morning and late afternoon, direct sunlight and even in cloudy or overcast conditions.
By contrast, conventional solar panels often require a glass-covered rigid frame that must be supported above the roofline, making them more expensive to install and maintain. In addition, these rigid panels require direct sunlight, requiring them to be mounted at an angle for maximum sunlight exposure.
Another important consideration for North Carolina customers is that thin-film panels like Hamlin's - that are integrated directly into the building's roof surfaces - are the only solar power systems that can be hurricane-rated for rooftop installations.
Earlier this year, Hamlin installed North Carolina's largest thin-film rooftop solar power plant at its sheet metal fabrication plant in Benson, NC, and in less than seven months, it became the first thin-film rooftop solar power installation in North Carolina to reach the 100,000kWh mark.
Businesses that can take advantage of this type of rooftop solar power system include: commercial buildings such as warehouses, storage facilities and distribution centres; office buildings, manufacturing facilities, retail stores and shopping malls; hospitals and nursing homes; educational facilities such as schools, day care centres and universities; and government buildings.
Power generated by the system can be used to meet the electricity demands of the user, or it can be sold back to the local utility to offset the cost of electric power.
According to Will Hamlin, executive vice president of Hamlin Energy Solutions, North Carolina customers benefit from a significant tax incentive when they choose to install a solar power system. "The combined state and Federal tax incentives are worth up to 65% of the initial cost of the solar power system, and with the accelerated depreciation schedule of five years, plus the value of the electric power generated, many North Carolina customers could convert their rooftops from an expense to a cash-generating asset."
The key to the system's lower installation cost are the thin-film flexible solar panels - just 1/8" thick - that can be adhered directly to an existing roof surface. Because the panels don't require multiple roof penetrations and add no significant structural weight to the roof, they have a much lower installed lifecycle cost per watt of power delivered. The laminate solar panels are also designed to capture sunlight across the light spectrum, enabling the system to produce electricity throughout the day--during the early morning and late afternoon, direct sunlight and even in cloudy or overcast conditions.
By contrast, conventional solar panels often require a glass-covered rigid frame that must be supported above the roofline, making them more expensive to install and maintain. In addition, these rigid panels require direct sunlight, requiring them to be mounted at an angle for maximum sunlight exposure.
Another important consideration for North Carolina customers is that thin-film panels like Hamlin's - that are integrated directly into the building's roof surfaces - are the only solar power systems that can be hurricane-rated for rooftop installations.
Earlier this year, Hamlin installed North Carolina's largest thin-film rooftop solar power plant at its sheet metal fabrication plant in Benson, NC, and in less than seven months, it became the first thin-film rooftop solar power installation in North Carolina to reach the 100,000kWh mark.
Businesses that can take advantage of this type of rooftop solar power system include: commercial buildings such as warehouses, storage facilities and distribution centres; office buildings, manufacturing facilities, retail stores and shopping malls; hospitals and nursing homes; educational facilities such as schools, day care centres and universities; and government buildings.
Power generated by the system can be used to meet the electricity demands of the user, or it can be sold back to the local utility to offset the cost of electric power.
