For a human, the roof of a hot industrial park on a blazing summer day is not where you want to be. But for a solar panel, that’s prime real estate.

The rooftops of warehouses and industrial buildings in Ballarat are an untapped source of renewable power, according to a new report from the Smart Energy Council, the independent peak body for Australia’s renewable energy industry. However, high installation costs have been a barrier to businesses installing panels. 

Last week, the federal government announced it had a solution: it would expand its renewable energy rebate scheme to include solar setups for commercial and industrial properties.

This means more options are available to businesses in Ballarat considering making the switch to solar energy. 

❓What happened:  Last week, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced the government would expand its Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) to allow commercial buildings and farms to install larger solar systems with a price reduction of 20 percent. 

Why does it matter to the ‘Rat? Ballarat has a rich manufacturing sector, and it’s only set to expand as more construction projects unfold in Mitchell Park, Delacombe and the Ballarat West Employment Zone. 

What people said: Justin Kent from Ballarat Engineering Plastics said his solar panels “paid for themselves” after their installation more than a decade ago. Since then, the cost of electricity has been significantly lowered for the company. 

🗣️: “It’s bang for your buck,” he told the Brolga. He also said investment in businesses is “always a good thing”. 

Claire Wootton, co-owner of Sovereign Press, said about 90 percent of its operations are powered by solar panels installed in 2019. 

🗣️:“We just wanted to be conscious of the footprint we’re having as a business,” she told the Brolga. 

She said she hopes the changes make solar panel installations more “attractive” to other businesses. 

What next: Last year, Energy Action, an independent energy consultancy firm, released an analysis of the return on investment for businesses using solar. 

It found solar panels could protect businesses from “volatile” wholesale electricity prices, leading to possible savings of 20 to 50 percent on energy bills.