Industrial, Commercial And Institutional

Solar industries truly came of age when their products moved from the exclusive domain of the home-improvement market and began to be used in industrial, commercial and institutional applications.

No longer will you only encounter solar path lighting at a neighborhood home. Indeed, driving through an industrial park will showcase the extensive use of commercial solar path lighting and commercial solar exterior lighting being eployed by building designers. Look a bit more closely at the buildings in question and you may well discover that there are arrays of commercial solar panels evident that are powering that company's industrial solar systems.

Inside the buildings themselves you're likely to find industrial solar heaters, industrial solar heaters for tanks, and at a “natural” commercial bakery, even a commercial sized solar baking oven.

What has caused this solar revolution? When did the use of solar energy stop being the limited market of isolated homesteaders and become a growing staple for industrial, commercial, and institutional power consumers?

While solar industry statistics don't pinpoint the exact day that the tipping point was reached, the use of commercial photovoltaic power solar systems became far more convenient when standardized industrial solar systems hit the market. Commercial solar lighting was seen as far more practical for the long-term bottom line when industrial, commercial and institutional designers and purchasers became convinced that solar industries were going to constantly improve their products.

Commercial solar panels, produced by respected companies that had long passed the test of time (and weren't considered fly-by-night manufacturers) inevitably led to wider use of commercial solar power. As industry leaders began to realize that solar offered a viable alternative to the ever-increasing power costs associated with non-renewable fossil fuels, the option of commercial solar light within a facility made sense.

At the same time, the industrial, commercial, and institutional public-relations managers and press liaisons woke up to the fact that they could put a much “greener” face on their businesses by making use of solar energy. Once they saw that the public at large was appreciative of attempts to reduce pollution by the private sector, they understood that consumers were inclined to reward environmentally friendly brands with their purchasing choices.

Is it any wonder, then, that these same companies have begun exploring ways to make their most obvious and mobile “billboards,” mainly their company cars, into machines that leave a smaller carbon footprint? The use of commercial solar powered vehicles and hybrids is growing everyday. Don't think for one moment that the consumers who believe these choices are important have failed to notice. They're continuing to reward these companies with their most potent stamp of approval: their purchasing dollars.