Australian clean energy solutions provider SunPlan Energy Group is set to build the country’s largest solar rooftop network designed to reduce the carbon footprint of many businesses and provide much-needed energy cost relief.
The $100 million project will utilise the equivalent of 300 hectares of empty commercial rooftops across the country, alleviating the need to dedicate limited greenspace to solar farms.
SunPlan’s setup will bypass traditional energy retailers and will sell directly to the building occupant at a 50 per cent discount, locking that price in for 10 years, at no cost to the building occupants.
In addition, commercial property owners will receive a small annual income from SunPlan by joining the solar rooftop network.
“Businesses are buckling under rapidly increasing energy costs, we’ve got precious farmland and greenspace to spare for renewable energy, yet the roofs of commercial buildings nationwide sit untouched,” founder of United Solar Group – SunPlan’s parent company – Richard Vargas said. “Hence the idea was borne to create an off-grid commercial network.
“Our ground-breaking approach will shield businesses from the relentless surge of power costs, while simultaneously fostering a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come,” Vargas added. “We firmly believe that sustainable business practices can and must go hand-in-hand with financial success.”
Vargas shared that 100 businesses have already registered for use of their rooftop and are expecting thousands more to join.
“Power companies are going to hate us, but for too long they’ve monopolised the industry at the cost of hard-working Australians,” he continued. “It’s time to take the power back, literally, to alleviate the cost of living and propel us towards a sustainable future.”
SunPlan’s initiative aims to generate 10MW of solar power every month and create an additional 6000 local labouring jobs such as electricians, technicians, draftspeople, engineers, project managers and operations within the first year.
SunPlan targets to generate 200MW of solar power across 600 hectares of commercial rooftops over the next two years.
