The 12 benefits of solar panels for businesses

1. Solar panels are cost-effective

With an average payback period starting at seven years and a 25-year production guarantee, you enjoy 18 years of worry-free pure profit. By investing in solar panels, you save immediately on your energy bills. Not only that, but the current generation of solar panels lasts up to 30 years!

2. The price of solar panels is becoming more affordable

The price of solar panels today is a lot lower than ten years ago: you pay €1.26 per watt peak on average. Even without solar subsidies, it is a viable and extremely lucrative investment. Moreover, solar panel returns are still very high, thanks in part to excellent support measures for solar panels for companies and the self-employed.

3. Solar panel efficiency continues to pay off

Because regulations have changed several times in recent years and solar panel subsidies are being phased out, some people question whether solar panels are worth installing. But rest assured, a solar panel system is still a smart investment: when investing in solar panels, you can expect a 14% return on average. There are few savings or investment options that offer returns as high as solar panels. On top of that, the production guarantee guarantees efficiency up to 80% for up to 25 years after installation!

4. Energy savings from day one

From the very first day that you start up your PV system, your energy bill will drop. After all, you are now producing your own green energy. Even the solar energy you don’t use right away will still earn you something: with a feed-in contract, your company will be compensated for every kWh of solar power it returns to the grid.

5. You protect yourself from rising electricity prices

By installing solar panels on your company’s roof, you stabilise all or part of your energy costs. This gives you more long-term security, because no matter how much energy prices fluctuate, solar panels ensure that your company has free energy to cover all or part of its consumption. And for the energy you produce, you pay no contributions, no distribution charges to grid operators and no taxes to the government.

6. You earn even on less sunny days

Solar panels do not need heat to produce electricity. Sunlight is enough. As a result, they also generate energy during winter and on less sunny days. Belgium has an average of 1,600 to 1,700 hours of sunshine a year, which is more than enough to make a solar panel system worthwhile.

7. Solar panels help your business anticipate regulatory changes

In Flanders, regulations related to solar panels have changed often in recent years. The most recent and sweeping change took place in January 2021:
Until January 2021, those who installed solar panels before 2021 could enjoy the principle of a reverse counter and prosumer tariff until 15 years after installation.

But the Constitutional Court annulled that regulation. Solar panel owners with a digital meter now automatically fall under the net actual purchase system, as will anyone who has installed solar panels after 2021. With this system, you no longer pay a prosumer tariff, but distribution network charges on your gross actual purchase.

8. You benefit from solar panel subsidies

To make an investment in solar panels accessible to businesses, there are a lot of support measures in our country. Some are limited to Flanders, while others apply to the entire country, but all make the benefits of solar panels a lot cheaper.

Feed-in compensation for your overproduction

With an energy contract with feed-in compensation like MaxxFix Pro, you are compensated for the excess electricity you return to the grid. With Luminus, you’re fully covered because all our contracts include feed-in compensation. The scheme initially applied only in Flanders and Brussels, but from 2024, Walloon business owners with solar panels also receive feed-in compensation. Check all conditions and benefits here.

Investment deduction for solar panels

The government supports investments in energy-saving measures across the country with an investment deduction. This allows you to deduct part of the purchase value of your solar panels from the taxable profit of the year you purchased them. Figures and more information on the higher investment deduction can be found here.

Solar panels will become even more advantageous in 2025, when the standard investment deduction will be increased to 10%. Moreover, the self-employed, SMEs and liberal professions will be able to deduct up to 40% of their energy-saving and green investments. The current deduction for investments in research, development and patents are being revamped as the ‘technology deduction’. Inflation no longer has an impact: the one-off investment deduction is now 13.5%, increasing to 20.5% when spread over several years.

Apart from the increased investment deduction, you can also simply write off the purchase amount over a provisionally unlimited time (such as 15 to 20 years), depending on your income. Talk to your accountant for more information.

Green certificates

These vouchers for self-produced energy that you sell back to the electricity supplier or energy regulator were created to encourage the installation of renewable energy sources, such as solar panels. Since 2014, Flanders and Wallonia no longer distribute green certificates, except for solar panels installed before that year. Brussels was the only region where you could still receive the vouchers annually, although the system has been phased out there as well from 2021.

Local contributions

Some municipalities also offer their own compensation or support measures that make installing solar panels more attractive for businesses. Check with the local authorities where your business is located.

9. Solar panel maintenance is limited

Thanks to their smooth surface and regular rinsing from rain, solar panels are largely self-cleaning and require little maintenance. This way, even rainy days benefit the efficiency of your solar panels!

10. Solar panels are a sustainable business investment

The benefits of solar panels are not limited to the financial aspect, but also a way for business owners to contribute to a sustainable future. You limit your CO2 emissions, set an example for other companies and create a green corporate image. Within ten years, once the initial cost has been recovered, you no longer have fixed costs for your electricity consumption. That kind of forward-looking thinking characterises a successful business professional!

11. Solar panels create a pleasant working environment

Working for an environmentally conscious company will motivate your employees and yourself even more. Also, solar panels are not the only way to save energy within your business. For both you and your employees, considering energy consumption and preventing waste will become second nature.

12. Free charging of company cars

With the growing popularity of electric vehicles, charging commercial vehicles has become a significant cost. By producing your own sustainable energy and using it to charge cars, you save significantly on operational costs and create an environmentally conscious image for your business.