Business plan for an energy company. How to Start a Solar Energy Business Energy Engineering Company Business Profitability

As interest in alternative energy sources grows, so does their share of global electricity consumption. And what is the main criterion, so to speak, the main incentive for a person to develop renewable energy, except for the desire to make the world greener? Probably, as in any other activity, this is an opportunity to earn money. We will try to look at alternative energy sources from the point of view of doing business.

General principle of making a profit

By alternative sources we will understand to a greater extent solar energy and wind energy, as the most popular today. It is clear that there are many types of renewable sources, and each has its own characteristics. No matter what kind of energy is used, the principle is always the same. The state undertakes to buy energy generated from a renewable source at a tariff using increasing coefficients. This is today the main incentive in any country in the world for the development of alternative energy sources. Otherwise, companies supplying energy from renewable sources simply would not survive the competition. The multiplier coefficients vary from country to country and also diversify by type of energy and over time. For example, in Belarus for solar power plants, the coefficient is 3 for 10 years. Those. the state will buy solar energy for 10 years at three times the price of the current tariff.

That. the company builds a power plant using renewable energy sources, connects it to the public grid and sells energy. The second option for involvement in alternative energy is the sale of equipment (solar panels, wind turbines, inverters, etc.), as well as the installation and installation of independent systems.

Documentation required for the construction of a solar power plant

All the necessary documentation can be conditionally divided into several points:

1. Project documentation. It includes a large amount of work: choosing a site for the project, calculating the power of the station, selecting equipment, etc. Even before the project, you will have to contact the energy supply organization to obtain those. conditions, as well as to local authorities for the allocation of land.
2. Confirmation certificate, which confirms that the e-mail the station is indeed a renewable energy source.
3. Business plan. Everything is the same as in any field of activity. The payback period of the project, profitability, number of personnel, etc. are determined.
4. Agreement with the energy supply organization. After going through the torment of hell, in the final part, an agreement is concluded with an energy supply organization, where the parties already agree on how they will interact, and the tariff at which the energy system will sell electricity is determined.

We do not yet cover construction, examination and acceptance into operation, but only outlined the main points. Those. the package of documents develops very decent, and registration of all this takes a lot of time.

Theoretically, physical a person can also safely install solar panels not only for their own needs, but also for sale to the network. In the case of using solar panels for yourself, the task is greatly simplified; in another option, you will have to collect all the same documents as for legal entities. persons.

According to the Tax Code (Article 96) jur. individuals and individual entrepreneurs are exempt from VAT when importing renewable energy sources.

What is the payback period for solar and wind power plants?

The payback period of a solar power plant depends on many factors: power, location, tariff, operating costs, etc. As a result, it can vary from several years to 12-13 years. The same is true for wind turbines.

Solar power plant operation

The service life of the panels is 25-30 years. As for the attendants, their number is minimal, two electricians and one person of the engineering and technical staff are enough. The solar power plant does not require any special work. In the order of the current operation, it is necessary to wipe the dust, mow the grass, remove the snow, and carry out temperature control of the panels. If it is necessary to make repairs, then it can be done in the evening or at night, when the power plant does not generate electricity. As a rule, panels are easy to install, so replacing them is not a big deal. Wind farms are more difficult to repair. To do this, it is often necessary to involve special equipment and work in calm weather.

Possible risks

• Great dependence on weather conditions. The risk of not reaching the planned capacity.
• Possibility of error at the design stage. Today, there are not many specialists with real experience in the design and construction of renewable plants. In the case of renewable sources, correct site identification and further exploitation are important.
• Change of legislation in the direction of reducing the multiplying coefficients. This factor is a risk for those who are still planning the construction of renewable stations. For those who sell equipment for such systems, this probability also does not bode well.
• As for the sale of alternative sources, European producers are forced to compete with cheaper Chinese counterparts. As a result, some of them had to leave the market. In the countries of Belarus and other CIS countries, this market is practically not developed. Individuals are actually not interested in buying the same solar panels. Below are a few companies from Belarus involved in the sale of alternative energy sources.

Where can I buy solar panels in Belarus and other renewable energy sources

• Taykun (Mogilev) - construction of power plants using renewable energy sources, as well as the sale of wind turbines, solar modules.
• EcoSnabGroup (Minsk) - supply solar photocells, collectors, energy saving systems, gas saving systems.
• Glavenergo (Minsk) - offer the construction of solar and wind power plants in installments.
• EcoEnergy (Minsk). – is engaged in the sale of solar panels, collectors and other elements of an autonomous network. Recently, this direction has been closed and the remains from the warehouse are being sold
• WESWEN (Gomel and Mogilev) - sale of solar collectors, panels, controllers, wind turbines, inverters, heat pumps
• SunnyTech (Borisov) - construction of solar power plants on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.

Discussion: 4 comments left.

I have developed many mobile ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES - these are: -
- autonomous hydroelectric power plants using the energy of water hammer;
– wind generators whose rotors are disk-type airships;
But!!!
If the USSR were alive, I would not have problems with their manufacture and their serial production, as well as self-take-off sails for towing boats on water; hydrojet propellers of the ejector type and many other progressive ones from the total number developed by me so far and = 9902 intellectual developments and many dozens of patents (USSR; RUSSIA; LITHUANIA)!

1. Windmills and solar are not alternative sources in the classical definition. The very first thermal power plants, then hydro. And this is like a Peltier element on a kerosene lamp. I even saw a rarity live, the “accordion” of a Soviet-made thermocouple, an “alternative source”. The only alternative source that works stably and is comparable in reliability to thermal power plants is nuclear power plants and its clones (possible). So far there is only one chatter on the torii, about thermonuclear to Mr. Velikhov.
   I do not know the real climatic conditions in Belarus, the number of sunny days, the gradient of wind loads on windmills, etc. But I know for my house in Vladivostok. The usual five-story "Khrushchev" for 60 apartments. Single-phase supply for each apartment, based on 10 kW/hour of maximum consumption. The rules are outdated, but somehow still enough. In reality, less peaks in the morning and evening. Without weather factor (heaters). To simplify, we take 500 kW / h and estimate the number of solar panels and wind turbines. Backup batteries, inverters and distribution and switching equipment. Collected, handed over. It’s not even a typhoon that comes flying, but a cyclone with a wind of 20-40 meters / sec. Monthly rate of snow and rain. And even at the same time. What will happen to the equipment is better not to think. The panels will still thaw if. And the “turntables” will fly far away and on their own. Let us have it once or twice a year, but on Sakhalin it is an ordinary phenomenon, almost every month. In Belarus, the climate is in any case not so “crazy”, but in any case, all this dubious pleasure will fly out for a penny. It is difficult, unreliable, expensive to maintain, depends on climatic conditions, etc., etc. Dignity - it does not smoke, coal-gas is not needed. The people themselves will buy it and burn fires in the yard.
   The entire infrastructure of human civilization is tied to electric motors. They consume two-thirds of the electricity generated worldwide.

Source: B.E. Ratnikov, http://www.elitarium.ru

In a broad sense, the energy business is any commercial (entrepreneurial) activity in the sectors of the fuel and energy complex, including the sphere of energy use. Its end results are a variety of energy products and services - goods intended for sale in their respective markets. Its products should be considered electrical and thermal energy produced at power plants and various heat sources.

Energy Services are divided into two types: energy supply services and services. First cover the activities of suppliers in the transmission of energy through the main and distribution electric and heat networks, as well as in the sale (trade) of energy carriers. Second(services) include many types of a wide variety of ancillary services in the areas of generation, transmission, marketing and beneficial use of energy. This includes, in particular, repair maintenance, energy rationalization services (energy efficiency), engineering (technical solutions and projects in the field of modernization), billing (measurements and calculations).

Depending on the adopted models of energy markets, the forms of organization energy business . Thus, individual business functions can be concentrated in independent energy companies: generating, network (trunk and distribution), marketing, service. In energy holding ah they will be carried out by subsidiaries coordinated by the corporate center (management company). In vertically integrated organizations, specialized business functions are performed by production structures with varying degrees of economic autonomy and responsibility.

It should also be noted that the business under consideration is based not only on private ownership of energy assets. Indeed, in a market economy, federal and regional executive authorities, as well as local governments, can act as a profit-making entity. Under the condition of effective public control, they make decisions based on generally accepted commercial criteria and even enter into competitive relations with representatives of private business. At the same time, they can lease their property to private operating companies, which take control of the relevant assets and ensure highly economical and reliable operation of energy facilities. Finally, to one degree or another, they can take part in the share capital of energy companies, up to the ownership of controlling stakes.

It is especially necessary to say about industrial energy as an area of ​​energy business. Here, attention should be paid to the trend of commercialization of the energy management of enterprises and the allocation of internal energy supply to a separate business function, starting from providing economic independence to energy management units (on the principles of self-sufficiency) and ending with the creation of separate energy supply companies in the structure of large industrial corporations. Another important factor is the construction of own energy sources and the entry of energy-intensive enterprises into the markets as sellers of energy carriers (primarily electricity and heat). All this makes it possible to consider industrial energy as an important part of modern business structures in the areas of electricity and heat supply.

Attractiveness for the investor

It is known that energy facilities are initially particularly capital-intensive, maintenance-intensive, and investments in the electric power industry have relatively long payback periods. Moreover, in this industry there will always be a very unfavorable ratio for investors between the sale price of electricity and the cost of fixed capital. The situation is aggravated when these factors are projected onto Russian reality: high physical depreciation of fixed capital and low technical and economic level of the production apparatus, moreover, on the eve of expected high rates of economic growth. Therefore, there is a very serious problem of attracting investments for the domestic energy business, the mechanisms for solving which are only in their infancy.

The attractiveness of a business in the field of electric and thermal power is determined by the assessments of the owners (investors) of the potential opportunities for realizing their interests (mainly financial goals). It is expressed, in particular, in such indicators as:

• inflow (outflow) of investments into the industry;
• frequency of ownership changes in core businesses (generation, transmission, distribution);
• share of private business in electricity turnover.

Choosing a type of business is carried out on the basis of economic assessments and subjective preferences. Among the latter, their financial and organizational capabilities, experience, education, ambitions, attitude to risk in business and other individual characteristics are considered.

Attractiveness assessments are differentiated by types of business and are formed taking into account the following main factors:

• requirements for products (services) - functional purpose and quality characteristics;
• expected return on invested capital;
• the nature of the demand for products (services);
• type of activity (monopoly, competitive);
• market entry conditions;
• risks.

Let's consider the above factors in relation to the main types of industrial energy business.

Products (services). Electrical energy and thermal energy are consumer products with standard quality parameters (frequency and voltage, pressure and temperature). Therefore, the markets in which these energy carriers circulate are distinguished by their colossal capacity, the most powerful financial flows and the virtual absence of product innovations, which increases their structural stability. All these features taken together certainly contribute to the comparative attractiveness of the energy business as a whole. Changes in the range of products, which are very disturbing for business, are impossible here, motivated in other industries by non-price competition, often quite fierce (cellular communications, computers, etc.). This product will always be in demand.

However, it should be borne in mind that although there really is no alternative to electricity as an energy carrier in the vast majority of cases, this does not mean that it will be bought at any appointed price. After all, if the price exceeds a certain acceptable level, then some will consume it, but will stop paying; It must be taken into account that energy companies, in essence, lend their customers, since production and consumption coincide in time, but do not coincide with the established payment terms. The other part of consumers will react in a more civilized and adequate way - they will switch to self-sufficiency in energy and power. It should be noted that these are, as a rule, the most profitable customers for the electric power industry - large energy-intensive industrial enterprises. In this regard, the energy business cannot but take into account the low, in the foreseeable future, solvent level of the majority of the population of the regions of Russia and the threat of losing significant financial revenues from industry as a result of neglecting price competition on the part of powerful consumers. These are realities that, of course, reduce the potential efficiency of the energy business in our country.

There is one more thing. Even if a certain part of the commodity producers accept high prices, this will naturally provoke dangerous inflationary processes, which, as a result of the trade turnover, will ultimately hit the very source - the irresponsible energy business. What happens next is quite clear without comment.

Profitability. The amount of profit received per unit of invested capital depends on many factors: the value of the object's fixed assets; selling prices (tariffs) for energy carriers; fuel prices; capacity and technical and economic efficiency of power plants. In connection with the prevailing relationships between energy tariffs and the capital intensity of energy facilities, in general, the return on invested capital in the electric and thermal power industry is below the average industrial level. But it differs significantly within the energy industry, in particular, depending on the types of power plants that power plants, boiler houses and other energy enterprises are equipped with. For example, today the profitability may be relatively higher for gas turbine and combined cycle plants of small capacity than for large power plants, and the profitability of heat sources is greater than that of power generating facilities. Private capital, which is quite natural, rushes into those energy sectors where financial efficiency is currently at the level of maximum values. However, this is not always in the long-term public interest.

Demand. The dynamics of energy demand has a great impact on the efficiency of the business in question. As you know, energy enterprises are characterized by a high level of capital intensity and a significant share of fixed costs in the cost price. For such industries, any change in sales revenue always generates a stronger change in profits (the action of "operating leverage"). Moreover, the higher the proportion of fixed costs, the greater this effect.

An important conclusion follows from this: in conditions of steadily growing demand, the efficiency, and hence the attractiveness of the energy business of almost all types, increases sharply, and with falling demand, they also decrease rapidly. Moreover, in the latter case, the business expects losses if they cannot be compensated for by prices or diversification of activities. In this regard, we note that the expected dynamics of demand for heat and electricity in the conditions of Russia creates favorable opportunities for business.

If demand begins to grow at a consistently high rate, then the efficiency of this business will be maximum. Otherwise, even the bankruptcy of energy companies (especially those with a large share of borrowed resources in the invested capital) is not ruled out.

Kind of activity. In competitive types of business (for example, generation), prices are not regulated by the state, but are formed under the influence of supply and demand. Free prices attract business and motivate technology investments, since all profits received remain with the owner and are not subject to any restrictions. However, it must be remembered that the owner assumes the entire investment risk (of course, in conditions of real competition between producers). It is clear that the weaker the competition, the more attractive it becomes to enter the market.

In monopoly activities (transmission of energy), prices are regulated, and therefore certain profit limits are set, for example, for an electricity distribution company. In this case, it becomes possible to shift (at least partially) the investment risk to the consumer, since the tariff set must guarantee a return on investment. Tariffs in such a market are usually more predictable than in a competitive one, and it is always possible to justify a more acceptable price to the regulator.

Market entry. A person (legal or natural), who has passed the qualification selection and entered into ownership of the energy facility, receives a license to participate in the energy market. Further, the business entity gets access to the network infrastructure and enters into contractual relations with other market participants. However, it should be emphasized that under certain conditions, the owner may experience serious difficulties in entering the market. So, the reason for this may be the oligopolistic structure of the wholesale market, which has developed as a result of the merger of companies, as a reaction to the intensification of competition. At the same time, a few large suppliers are not interested in new companies entering the market and will try to block it, for example, through concerted price manipulations. It follows from the above that the absence of discriminatory barriers at all stages of entering the market is an important additional incentive for energy business entities.

Risks. When assessing the attractiveness of the energy business, it is recommended to pay attention to the following types of risks:

• investment;
• price;
• financial;
• technical;
• adjusting.

Risk analysis is designed to answer two questions: a) how significant is the risk? b) how can it be neutralized?

Investment risk- this is the risk of shortfall in profits in the implementation of the investment project. It can be significantly reduced if we switch to the construction of low-capacity combined power supply units using advanced gas turbine technologies. In the case of large objects, state guarantees of the profitability of the project (provided, in particular, to the winners of investment tenders) are required.

price risk. It is caused, firstly, by irregular daily fluctuations in electricity prices in the organized (exchange) wholesale market. As a result, it is extremely difficult to organize the production planning process in a company, even in the short term. The solution to the problem lies in the development of a powerful market (over-the-counter) for bilateral long-term contracts and insurance of price risks in organized (exchange) markets for financial contracts; secondly, the uncertainty of the prospective dynamics of natural gas prices. While it is safe to say that prices will rise. However, much depends on the policy of reforming the gas industry.

financial risk associated with non-payments of consumers, as well as violations of financial obligations by various participants in the energy markets. The risk of non-payment falls on energy sales companies, which encourages them to pay special attention to combating commercial losses (theft) of energy. In particular, it is recommended to identify “risk” groups among consumers and establish more stringent conditions when concluding an energy supply contract. It would also be advisable to introduce special financial risk insurance for energy sales organizations.

Technical risk- this is a threat of equipment failures, a decrease in the technical reliability of electricity and heat supply, and interruptions in the supply of energy to consumers. Technological processes at energy enterprises are highly complex, which requires highly qualified and, therefore, very expensive operating, maintenance and management personnel. In addition, energy companies operate in a complex system of multi-channel external relations with designers, builders, installers, suppliers of fuel, equipment, repair and other services. A large number of different contracts and strict requirements for the quality of the listed services objectively make the energy business more risky than any other. The cardinal neutralization of this risk requires the company to have an appropriate technical policy and highly qualified technical management. At the same time, it is advisable to introduce a differentiated payment for reliability in the retail and wholesale markets, i.e. consider reliability as a special kind of targeted energy supply service. Reliability can also be considered as an object of insurance.

Regulatory Risk generated by unexpected and unfavorable business actions by energy regulators. Moreover, it can take place both in the competitive and in the monopoly sector. It manifests itself in many aspects: pricing, environmental regulation, tax regulation, standards for the reliability of energy supply, rules for working in the markets.

Note that this is the type of risk that a business entity cannot practically influence. Therefore, owners tend to react to it particularly painfully, and its impact on the attractiveness of the energy business is significant. Therefore, it is necessary that all decisions of the regulators be extremely transparent and predictable. If the actions of the regulator, taken in line with the public interest, cause economic damage to private business, then it must be compensated without fail in one form or another.

Thus, as a general conclusion, it should be concluded that the energy business, which is very prestigious in any country, is at the same time characterized by high complexity, social responsibility and riskiness in many aspects. Moreover, in connection with the management of the considered risks, the participation of the state is of decisive importance: firstly, it is the legal support for the actions of business entities to neutralize risks; secondly, a system of financial guarantees for investors operating in high-risk conditions and companies specifically participating in national energy programs; thirdly, an effective business regulation mechanism that minimizes external risks for the owners of power facilities.

What is one of the promising paths to development and well-being? For a long time energy business turned into a profitable business. If you look at this term in a broad sense, it turns out that this is a commercial (entrepreneurial) type of activity carried out by specialists in the fuel and energy complex. This includes knowledge of the use of energy carriers. If we talk about the end result of the business under study, the end results should be various types of energy products and services. Thus, the energy business can be a group of goods suitable for sale by the forces of the respective markets. Its products are considered to be electrical and thermal forms of energy produced at power plants and possible heat sources.

There are several types of accepted models developed in this market. This means that the energy business differs in the forms of organization. A number of business functions are able to develop within the framework of independent energy companies: generating, grid, service, marketing. With the resources of energy complexes, great importance will be given to subsidiaries, the coordination of which is carried out by the corporate center. With vertical integration of integrated organizations, specialized business functions are assigned to performers with different levels of economic responsibility.

Meanwhile, one of the attractive areas of the energy business may be the supply of consumers with specialized equipment, fittings, electrical equipment, installation tools for the construction of power lines. For example, you can sell linear fittings to customers (vibration dampeners, tension clamps, thermal chucks), current and voltage transformers, cable boxes, which are indispensable in the construction of power plants.

The area under study has features of another plan. The form of ownership is mainly private, with a focus on energy assets. It is important to remember that it can act as a subject in a market economy of this direction. It so happened that energy business These are interests at the government level. Therefore, in a successful scenario, even in the presence of decent competition, a stable profit is quite possible.

If you decide to organize an energy business, we recommend that you first of all pay attention to the risks:

• Financial (breach of financial obligations, consumer non-payments)
• Investment (loss of profit)
• Technical (equipment failures, low reliability of power supply)
• Price (irregular price fluctuations during the day)
• Regulatory (unfavorable regulation of energy by the authorities)

Only by making a thorough risk analysis, you will know how significant they are, how they can be neutralized. And also you will be able to enter this market more safely.

High level of complexity of project implementation

As noted above, experts unanimously consider the thermal power industry to be a highly attractive industry for investment. However, they note that transactions in this area are the most complexly structured and require high professionalism in their implementation. In this situation, a successful investor company cannot be limited only to financing a transaction, but implements it at every stage and actually provides a turnkey project. According to experts, there are very few such companies on the market, which is caused by a lack of experience and high risks associated with the complex structure of the transaction.

Private company strategy: global or local?

Assessing the activities of private business in the thermal power industry, the experts drew attention to the problem of the strategy of private investors going into the municipal energy sector. On the example of a number of large business projects in the housing and communal services sector (in particular, the project "Russian Communal Systems"), the "generalist" approach was critically assessed, when a large investor, entering the industry, seeks to cover all types of housing and communal services and products (electronic and heat supply, water supply and sanitation, gas supply, etc.) with the maximum possible coverage of territories. Certain setbacks that the RKS project has experienced do not support this approach. It is much more effective, according to this point of view, to apply a "point" approach. This will allow us to concentrate resources, calculate risks more accurately, identify problem areas, and conduct the necessary audits.

· Immediately declare a huge program, we are everywhere, here and there. This is politics. This is illiteracy. It means nothing. But the one who takes one sector in one city or region, and tries to analyze this matter, consider risks, including technological, financial, market.

At the same time, experts draw attention to examples of successful business projects, when an integrated approach to the energy and utility business covering different areas - electricity, heat, gas, water - brings an effect. This, in particular, is evidenced by the experience of the company "Integrated Energy Systems" (IES-Holding), which develops business in the field of energy and housing and communal services, implementing projects in almost all of these segments. According to most experts, there is no contradiction in the presence of two opposite approaches to the implementation of business projects in the industry and two opposite examples. In the opinion of the participants of the study, this reveals the most important factor in the implementation of a project in the industry, on which its success or failure later depends - a high-quality pre-project audit, a comprehensive assessment of risks, required costs, investments, resources and company capabilities.