Does your business have a roof?

If you answered yes, Focus on Energy can help you make better use of it. The open rooftops that are a common feature of many businesses throughout Wisconsin can be ideal real estate for solar electric and solar hot water systems. Solar systems are becoming more cost-effective, and increasingly popular while businesses strive to be more energy conscious - both with an eye to cutting costs and to becoming more environmentally responsible.

Solar power - more reliable than you might think
As a power source, sunshine offers many advantages. It's free, it's silent, and it can help meet some of your building's energy needs. In Wisconsin it is mostly sunny for six months of the year and sunny for about half of the daylight hours the rest of the year. These hours of sunshine can provide an excellent, and affordable, power resource. And when the sun isn't shining your conventional water heating and electricity from the grid provide a constant supply of energy.

Solar electric
Some of Wisconsin's leading companies - including Kohl's, General Electric and Johnson Controls - have installed large solar electric systems on their building rooftops. Sustained growth in the solar electric market has lead to increasing manufacturing, product and installation efficiencies so system costs have begun to drop. Leading solar module manufacturers have promised to reduce system costs 50 percent by 2012, which could mean that solar energy could cost less than conventional power within the next 5 to 10 years, especially given the dynamic nature of fossil fuel costs.

Solar hot water
Solar water-heating systems collect sunlight to heat water. The technology has been in use for nearly a century, but over the past 25 years technical advancements have drastically improved these systems' performance, life expectancy and ease of use. Due to the reliability, durability and cost-effectiveness of today's solar hot water systems, some of Wisconsin's leading businesses, including Wigwam Mills and the Kalahari Resort, have installed large solar hot water systems on their building rooftops.

Keeping you in hot water
Solar hot water systems are ideal for businesses that use large quantities of hot water, including:

Healthcare facilities	Health clubs
Hotels	Restaurants
Apartment buildings	Fire stations
Correctional facilities	Carwashes
Campgrounds	Laundromats

Is your site right for solar?
Renewable energy technologies are becoming more cost effective for businesses of all sizes. With Focus on Energy, federal and utility incentives, now is a great time to start thinking about options for your business. Contact Focus on Energy to learn about renewable energy site assessments, and to determine if your location is right for solar energy solutions. To learn more about renewable energy, download the Focus on Energy fact sheets on solar electric, solar hot water, wind, biogas and biomass systems. Or visit our Web site for a complete list of downloadable renewable fact sheets and case studies.