Commercial finance Archives | Smart Ease

Power perspectives: talking solar at Smart Energy 2023

Fri, 26 May 2023 04:13:46 +0000

Smart Energy Expo, the annual Smart Energy Council event, was held at Sydney’s ICC on 3-4 May 2023. As an exhibitor we enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with industry friends, meet new contacts and soak up the insights.

We also seized the chance to gather feedback from our peers in the industry in a series of informal vox-pop style interviews. All participants were asked the same three questions, with their responses recorded on video. Later, we analysed the leading responses in a report titled Power Perspectives: Talking Solar 2023.

We hope you find the trends and insights gained from this survey as interesting as we did.

Want more great sales tips? Join Smart Hub for free learning resources today!

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Webinar: How I scaled a commercial solar and energy business

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 01:40:56 +0000

Our first webinar, How I scaled a commercial solar and energy business went off without a hitch last week, and your feedback has been brilliant.

Many thanks to all who attended, asked questions and participated in our interactive poll. We hope you found our guest speaker (Ben Henderson from The Green Guys Group) as inspiring and informative as we did, and that you came away with fresh ideas for scaling your solar or energy-efficiency business.

Our next webinar will be held in the second half of 2023, featuring a new guest speaker who will share their business journey and learnings with us. See you there!

Want more great sales tips? Join the Smart Hub for free learning resources today!

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5 key questions for solar discovery calls

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 03:53:53 +0000

Keen to improve your solar discovery call strike rate?

Achieving better outcomes always starts with the questions you’re asking.

We’ve created a list of five must-ask questions which will help you to establish rapport, identify what your potential customers’ pain points and buying drivers are, and showcase your expertise in commercial solar.

To keep these easily on hand, we’ve created a print-ready version for you to download and keep.

QUESTION 1: How much have your power bills gone up in the last 12 months?

This question shows that you understand the customer’s business pressures. It also opens the door to discussing what is (probably) the main reason they’re enquiring about solar – to take control of their power expenditure.

QUESTION 2: What have you done – if anything – about your energy costs?

Reflecting on what their business has done to date to reduce their energy costs (and realising that other businesses are taking decisive action) can be motivating for business owners.

This question can also alert you to whether they’ve sought other solar quotes, which tells you how competitive you may need to be in quoting.

QUESTION 3: How much pressure are you getting from stakeholders regarding sustainability?

Another key buying driver for commercial solar uptake is to reduce emissions. Increasingly, customer conversations are about organisations considering solar as part of their pathway to net zero.

Often there’s substantial pressure from stakeholders for companies to reduce their carbon footprint, and solar is one of the most visible and straightforward ways of achieving this.

QUESTION 4: What are your expansion plans in the next 3-5 years? How will this affect your energy requirements?

As the saying goes, the best time to act was decades ago – the second-best time is now.

By encouraging potential customers to think about their future energy plans, you draw their attention to the fact that their power needs – and their power bills – are likely only going to increase. Are they considering expanding operations? Adding staff? Buying machinery?

This is a powerful motivator for businesses, especially if they plan to grow.

QUESTION 5: Would you be interested in a system that is cash flow positive – i.e. pays for itself from savings?

Not every commercial solar system pays for itself entirely, but many do. Asking this question introduces payment solutions into the conversation and allows you to position your proposal – with Smart Ease funding included – as a no-brainer for your business customers.

Cashflow is of paramount importance to every business owner, so discussing how your solution can protect their cashflow could be the difference between locking in a second call, or not.

Want more great sales tips? Join the Smart Hub for free learning resources today!

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Payment Plan powers Freedom Foods’ ambitious Victorian solar project

Stefanie D — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 02:50:11 +0000

Freedom Foods is one of Australia’s most popular health food brands. In 2018, in a bid to reduce energy costs and as part of its five-year sustainability plan, the company launched ‘Project Radiant’, an ambitious solar installation project at its Victorian processing operations in Shepparton.

At the time, energy was a major cost for the business. It was also vulnerable to regular fluctuations in voltage and supply due to electrical grid instability. The UHT (long life) milk production line in particular had been shutting down up to 10 times a year, each time costing Freedom Foods anywhere from $40,000-$70,000 in disrupted production and associated clean-up costs.

While solar panels, voltage optimisation, and storage were the fundamental goals underpinning the Project, “there was significant lead time to source the specialised equipment for our sustainability strategy,” explains Freedom Foods’ Project Manager, Jeremy Panuccio.

In collaboration with AEES Group, Freedom Foods was able to access a staggered payment plan developed by Smart Ease.

Multiple draw-downs throughout the complex 14-month construction phase enabled the project to stay on schedule.

According to AEES Group Managing Director, Richard Martin, “without Smart Ease’s expertise, in particular the simplicity and flexibility of the application process, the project would have taken significantly longer to get – and stay – underway.”

“Not only did Smart Ease tailor a plan to match the pace of the rollout,” says Mr Panuccio, “but their industry knowledge supported us in progressing with the whole project far more quickly.”

“The time savings enabled us to complete installation before Summer, enabling us to cut our seasonal energy costs and meet sustainability targets.”

The project was also supported by a $1.6 million grant from Regional Development Victoria (RDV). However because the grant could not be realised until the project was installed, an alternative funding solution was needed.

Project snapshot

Equipment

3.8MW Solar PV System, Powerpack and Powerfactor

9152 x Phono 380W panels

19 x ABB inverters

1 x 500kWh Tesla powerpack

1 x 2MVA Powerfactor correction unit

Annual energy production:

5.36 GWh

Energy savings:

36% net energy savings

How many tonnes of emissions saved annually?

5,470 metric tonnes of CO2 per year

Payment plan term

7 years

Channel partner:

AEES

Industry:

Food manufacture

Location:

Victoria

With the requirement for custom-built components, we needed a solution that would be flexible enough to meet the supplier’s payment schedule

The solution

Without Smart Ease’s expertise, in particular the simplicity and flexibility of the application process, the project would have taken significantly longer to get – and stay – underway.

The win

By February 2020, Project Radiant was fully operational, and the plant has reduced costs and improved efficiencies.

Grid-derived electricity has been reduced by as much as 36%. Adds Mr Martin, “voltage optimisation is now being used to reduce network demand costs while improving power quality, while the battery storage aims to eliminate costly production failures on the UHT line.”

Freedom Foods’ sustainability goals have been hugely impacted, too with over 5,000 tonnes of carbon emissions now estimated to be offset annually, equivalent to 1,362 new trees planted per year.

“This project is one of Victoria’s largest behind-the-meter solar installations and a terrific example of a leading Australian manufacturer delivering on sustainability goals as well as cutting energy costs,” says Guy Olian, CEO of Smart Ease. “It’s a technological success story!”

At the time of installation in 2019, Project Radiant was one of the largest single rooftop solar panels installations in Australia.

Start a conversation with Smart Ease and find out how our solar commercial finance support enterprise scale solar projects and sustainability goals.

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Why two suburban IGA supermarkets made the switch to solar

Stefanie D — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 01:05:40 +0000

IGA is a network of over 1,300 independent family-owned supermarkets with stores across Australia. As a brand synonymous with ‘community’, it was no surprise when two local IGA stores, in Laverton and Spotswood in busy suburban Melbourne, decided to stretch above and beyond their local impact by installing solar.

Owner Mena Mikhail, explains the company’s motivation: “Addressing our environmental impact as a business really resonated with our entire team, so installing solar felt very much aligned with the direction we are taking as a company.

“At the time, we were also looking at ways to optimise our operating costs at both sites, where electricity costs had been increasing every month.

“So while addressing our electricity usage from a commercial perspective was definitely a factor, our drive to make a more substantial impact, both socially and environmentally, underpinned the business case for solar.” 

The team met with Bright Source Australia Business Manager, Savy Naran, who would manage the delivery and installation of solar panels for the supermarkets. Mena was then grateful to learn of a payment solution in Smart Ease, that would enable them to better manage cashflow and achieve their solar goals at the same time.

Project snapshot

Equipment:

Spotswood project:

92 x Longi panels
1 x Solaredge inverter

Laverton project:

270 x Canadian Solar panels
3 x Fronius inverters

Energy bill reduction: 20-30% savings on energy bills (after the cost of payment plan)

Payment plan term: 5 years

Channel partner: Bright Source

Industry: Retail

Location: Victoria

We found a 20-30% reduction in our energy bills … even after the costs of the monthly payment plans.

The solution

Well aware that the process of applying for funding and researching payment options can be hard work, Mena was relieved to be introduced to Smart Ease account manager, Assunta Martino.

“Assunta was really helpful during the application and approval process for the first installation.

“In fact, it was that ‘personal touch’, and my ongoing dealings with Assunta, that ultimately gave me the confidence to proceed with the second payment plan when the time came to move forward with the install at our Spotswood store.”

The win

With funding solutions like Smart Ease…and with global efforts towards more renewable energy sources ramping up, it’s time.

The stores’ cost savings following installation were immediate. “After installation we found, on average, a 20-30% reduction in our energy bills across both sites, even after the costs of the monthly payment plans,” says Mena.

Factoring in the attractive terms of the Smart Ease payment plans and interest rates, Mena says that as a business, they had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“I would definitely encourage anyone considering investing in solar, to do it now!”

“With funding solutions like Smart Ease affording business owners access to cutting-edge solar technology, and with global efforts towards more renewable energy sources ramping up, it’s time.”

“As a community leader and proud member of the IGA network, the team and I take our role in that movement seriously. We’re proud and excited to have made the switch to solar.”

Start a conversation with Smart Ease and find out how our solar commercial finance support enterprise scale solar projects and sustainability goals.

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Community Art Centre installs equipment & gains a new revenue stream

Stefanie D — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 23:40:22 +0000

“Without the Payment Plan we would have had to secure a grant – or wait a number of years until the upgrade got included in Council’s CAPEX budget.

“Now the whole community benefits because the lighting is available for use – and we have a new revenue stream by hiring our lighting to commercial users.”

Raina Savage, Manager, Griffith City Council

Project snapshot

Equipment

AV System and Stage lighting

Organisation

Griffith City Council

Industry

Not for profit

Location

NSW

Find out how a Smart Ease payment solution could support your business goals

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How a local charity is saving money with solar – and giving it right back

Stefanie D — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 04:10:06 +0000

Every day, Western Downs Outreach Project (WDOP) in Queensland delivers services to improve the lives of those living in poverty in the region. The Project provides counselling, advocacy support, food hampers and a soup kitchen.

Impressively, WDOP is largely self-funded through their Containers for Change refund point in Chinchilla that gives cash to community members who recycle used drink containers. As a full recycling breakdown point, WDOP receives a handling fee from the program.

As such, WDOP is fulfilling a dual purpose of helping those in need and helping the environment.

The challenge

As a not-for-profit focused on growing its support of its local community, WDOP was looking for ways to minimise operational costs.

Project snapshot

Equipment

78 x 370kW Photo Solar T Inverter

1 x Sungrow 28.86kW

Channel Partner

The Saviour Group
Arkana

Industry

Charity

Location

Queensland

One area to target was their rising energy bill, so Project Director, Jason Vella reached out to The Saviour Group to investigate options for the facility.

The answer was to install a solar system that would enable the majority of their electricity to be powered by clean, free solar energy. The only catch – WDOP needed to find a way to pay for the equipment that didn’t eat into the organisation’s much-needed cash reserves.

On a Smart Ease Payment Plan, the solar system will literally be paying for itself within months of installation.

The solution

Through The Saviour Group, WDOP discovered Smart Ease and their Payment Plans. As Jason put it, “we were in a situation where we had to look forward 12 months to make sure finances didn’t fall into a red zone.”

“The funds weren’t immediately available, so without a Payment Plan it would have meant using our Reserve Fund – and we didn’t want to dive into that unnecessarily.”

WDOP rely on their Reserve Fund to be able to respond quickly to community need. If a situation such as a COVID lockdown were to arise, the Reserve Fund enables the organisation to fill the financial gap and deliver additional vital services.

A Smart Ease Payment Plan over five years was a perfect solution to mitigate the risk of cash flow issues and to keep the Reserve Fund intact.

After discussing their Payment Plan options with the Smart Ease team, Jason was impressed with the fast and painless process that happened entirely online. Unlike with banks, the Payment Plan application was completed and approved in only minutes.

As Jason puts it, “everything from both The Saviour Group and Smart Ease was very easy. No dramas whatsoever, no delays, no hiccups anywhere along the way. Everything went absolutely smoothly.”

On a Smart Ease payment plan, the solar system will literally be paying for itself within months of installation.

The outcome

Western Downs Outreach Project is thrilled to say goodbye to significant energy bills and welcome a new solar system that will be a cash-positive proposition. On a Smart Ease Payment Plan, the solar system will literally be paying for itself within months of installation.

Jason added, “Looking at it over the five years, we’re not going to be paying an excessive amount over what we would have been paying in electricity anyway. After the five years, we’ve got another 20 odd years of free energy from the sun!”

Smart Ease and The Saviour Group have been honoured to play just one part in helping Western Downs Outreach Project obtain what’s best for their non-profit.

Proudly, using the Payment Plan model to cover the cost of their solar equipment, WDOP have been able to conserve vital funds that can now be used to deliver services and food to the community.

They have also significantly reduced carbon emissions by powering operations almost entirely by the sun. As such they are living up to their environmental ethos and fulfilling their sustainability goal.

Everything…was very easy. No dramas whatsoever, no delays, no hiccups anywhere along the way. Everything went absolutely smoothly.

Start a conversation with Smart Ease and find out how our solar commercial finance support solar projects and sustainability goals.

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Payment Plan enables manufacturer to go solar without tying up cash

Stefanie D — Sun, 05 Jun 2022 23:39:54 +0000

De Palma Salumi is a smallgoods meat processor based in NSW, supplying to Australia’s best restaurants (including the likes of Melbourne’s Movida and Sydney’s Icebergs and Quay).

The manufacturing process is based on handmade traditions, passed down over seven generations. From salting to hanging, curing meat is a detailed process.

“Our energy usage never stops because there is lots of cooling and heating throughout,” explains Juliette De Palma, co-owner of De Palma Salumi.

With rising costs, De Palma Salumi knew it needed to make a change.

The business’ lack of available upfront capital made the chance to go solar seem out of reach.

Project snapshot

Equipment

39.6KW Solar System
120 x JA 330W panels
2 x 15kW Solar Edge inverters

Channel partner:
Vista

Industry:
Food manufacture

Location:
NSW

It all happened easily and in no time…our experience with Smart Ease was so refreshing and simple.

“While we knew our energy usage was heavy and had a significant cost on the business, we would never have considered switching to solar if we had to pay upfront. Our business just doesn’t have the cash flow to do it,” Juliette explains. “The curing process is long, and we have a lot of money invested in stock at any given time.”

“Our process from when we pay for the raw meat to when it is sold as a finished product is three to four months, so a lot of cash is tied up in that process”.

De Palma Salumi was introduced to Smart Ease, and that’s when it realised that with a simple payment plan, cutting the business’s energy costs was finally achievable.

The solution

“Signing up for an Smart Ease payment plan was “the easiest process ever.”

“We just had to answer a few simple questions and they could see by our history that we were a sound business,” Juliette says.

“I didn’t feel intimidated by the process and it all happened easily and in no time. In the last few years, we’ve found there have been a lot of hurdles when it comes to getting finance, particularly the banks. Our experience with Smart Ease was so refreshing and simple.”

It meant that De Palma Salumi could now take action and slash their energy costs.

The win

While Juliette knew that the choice to go solar would save the business money in the long term, she was very surprised to find out that with a Smart Ease payment plan the savings would be instantaneous.

“When we found out we didn’t have to pay upfront and we could pay over months at a lower rate than our current energy bill, it was a very easy business decision.”

“Not only were we not losing anything by doing it, our costs were actually less!” Juliette explains.

De Palma Salumi can now focus on the things that really matter, the passion and dedication it gives to its world-class curing techniques – without stressing about its energy use.

Our tip? Try the bresaola.

Find out how Smart Ease payment solutions can support your cash-flow and sustainability goals

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Tropical sunsets and iconic ice cold beer, thanks to Smart Ease

Stefanie D — Sun, 22 May 2022 01:20:49 +0000

Nestled deep in the Gulf of Carpentaria, 750 kilometres west of Cairns in tropical Far North Queensland, lies the Sunset Tavern, Karumba. As popular with the locals as it is with backpackers and Australian tourists, the Tavern is famous for its seafood, sunsets views, and ice cold beer.

Not surprisingly, keeping all that beer ice cold requires some serious refrigeration.

“Our energy bills were routinely in the vicinity of $80,000,” explains Sunset Tavern General Manager, Ben Malady. “The prospect of a solar installation that would enable us to both reduce our environmental impact and cut costs, was really exciting.”

But the impact of COVID lockdowns and travel restrictions on Queensland’s tourism industry, as 2020 unfolded, was immense. So while installing a solar system made perfect sense to Ben, the upfront cost of supply and installation meant the project simply wasn’t feasible without a commercial finance option.

Not to mention the need to design a solar panel configuration that didn’t impede the bird’s-eye view of the Tavern’s iconic ‘ICE COLD BEER’ roof signage, which presented a unique technical challenge for installer, Green Energy Technologies.

Savings to the Tavern since installation was completed in September 2020, have already amounted to a remarkable $50,000.

Project snapshot

Equipment

39.96 kilowatt system
111 x 360kW  SolarEdge panels
2 x  15kW SolarEdge inverters 
The system will produce 61,261 kilowatt hours of electricity each year.

Energy bill savings in first year: $50k

Payment plan term: 2 years

The project was cash flow positive from day one. 

Channel partner:

Green Energy Technologies

Industry:

Hospitality & Tourism

Location:

Queensland

It’s enabled a business like ours, that was experiencing a huge amount of uncertainty with regards to cash flow, to afford a significant investment in solar in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The solution

“Discovering Smart Ease was the ‘lightbulb moment’ we needed,” Ben explains, describing how the Tavern’s existing relationship with Green Energy Technologies lead to his introduction to Smart Ease and their accessible payment plans.

“It’s enabled a business like ours that, like so many others around the country, was experiencing a huge amount of uncertainty with regards to cash flow, to afford a significant investment in solar in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our Smart Ease payment plan has allowed us to simultaneously reduce our overheads and massively impact the Tavern’s sustainability efforts.”

The win

Because the ideal number of roof panels was installed, virtually 100% of the energy generated by the system is being used on site. Plus thanks to their impeccable arrangement, the ‘COLD BEER’ roof signage was preserved! “The application and approval process, especially in the midst of the pandemic with the big banks cracking down on lending, was fast and easy,” Ben says.

“But the greatest win has been financial. The project was cash-flow positive from day one. We’re extremely happy.”

And so finally, after a challenging year for all, once the project was complete the Tavern and Green Energy Technologies teams were very content to share an ice cold beer together over the setting tropical sun.

Find out how a Smart Ease payment solution can support your business and sustainability goals

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Payment Plan helps to light up the stage at major events

Stefanie D — Tue, 03 May 2022 00:16:20 +0000

“As a business that provides lighting and large video screens for some of the biggest outdoor events, we needed superior AV systems. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the funds available that financial year. So we applied for a payment plan through Smart Ease got approved instantly (and) had our equipment within a few days.”

Owner, Creative Productions

Project snapshot

Equipment

AV System, lighting and screens

Organisation

Creative Productions

Industry

Entertainment

Location

Victoria

Find out how our payment solutions support solar projects and sustainability goals – for any business

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