Installing Solar Panels to Reduce Energy Costs

Purpose

This proposal was prepared by Stephen Smith from the Procurement and Budgeting department of Crumbs Bakery. The purpose of this proposal is to request approval to conduct investigations to establish the importance of installing solar panels to reduce energy costs that form a huge part of the expenses of this company. Also, it intends to establish the importance of solar energy in preserving the environment and boosting the morale of workers in this organization.

Summary

On February 6^th, 2014, the Board of Directors of Crumbs Bakery requested the head of the Procurement and Budgeting Board to conduct a feasibility study about alternative sources of energy that would help the company to reduce its costs. The board requested members to submit their requests to undertake the feasibility study and that is when I applied for the position of a researcher to perform the required task.

I proposed the installation of solar panels to supply energy to the organization. The department considered my application suitable and permitted me to draft a proposal for installing solar panels in the company. I submit this proposal aimed at providing important information to the organization before installing solar panels to supplement and if possible replace the use of electricity in the company.

Currently, the company relies on energy supplied by different electricity companies. The cost of generating electricity has gone up and suppliers pass this burden to consumers. Also, there are measures to regulate the use of non-renewable sources of energy, and this increases electricity costs. The heavy costs incurred in terms of electricity bills are unnecessary because they do not reflect the mission of the company that stipulates environmental conservation and sustainability (Miller 59).

The Board of Directors has allocated adequate resources to conduct a large feasibility study of whether Crumbs Bakery should install solar panels to produce energy for lighting, baking, and refrigerating bread and cakes before they are distributed to our clients.

The Procurement and Budgeting Board asked me to conduct research that would establish whether the installation of solar panels will reduce energy costs and replace the use of electricity. Also, I will evaluate whether the electricity supply equipment and connections will accommodate those of the solar panels. Some solar appliances may require special fittings to work efficiently (Brown 101). Moreover, the research will establish the impacts of installing alternative sources of energy on employees and their productivity.

I propose to research the use of solar panels to supply energy to the company and reduce expenses. Also, I am mandated to find out whether solar panels can produce adequate energy to support the activities of the company and present my findings to the relevant authority.

It is necessary to note that this study will require 5-6 hours per week for two months. I will seek assistance from Mr. Jackson Willis, Lawrence Hopkins, and Steven Howard regarding solar energy solutions. These professionals are very experienced and have successfully implemented similar projects in their companies. The Board of Directors will authorize acknowledgment of my participation in the study upon submission of a satisfactory report.

The research will commence immediately this proposal is authorized and it will last for two months; however, I will submit a request for a deadline extension in case the program is interrupted unexpectedly. I will submit progress reports weekly and the final recommendation report on April 13^th, 2014. This report will include information about my research and suggest how to proceed with the feasibility study.

Introduction

On February 6^th, 2014, the Board of Directors of Crumbs Bakery invited the Procurement and Budgeting Department to conduct a feasibility study about the importance of using other sources of energy in the company to supplement or replace electricity. The study was aimed at establishing the difference between alternative sources and electricity to supply energy for the company. On 7^th February 2014, the department accepted my application to conduct a feasibility study. It presented its recommendation to the Board of Directors and I am waiting for it to approve my request and allow me to start the feasibility study as soon as possible.

Currently, the company uses electricity for lighting, baking, and refrigeration as the main roles played by this source of energy. Electricity used in computers and electric fence does not account for a huge amount of energy expenses; therefore, these sectors will not be considered during the feasibility study. The company spends about $7,000 on major energy-consuming processes, and there is a need to cut this cost to boost its profit margins. The following questions will play important roles in shaping the scope and course of my study to ensure important issues are considered during the research.

1. Will the installation of solar panels reduce the energy expenses of Crumbs Bakery?
2. Will the solar panel infrastructure be compatible with that of electricity?
3. Will workers switch from electricity to solar energy given the speed of connectivity and efficiency of the former?
4. What impacts will the new source of energy have on the quality and quantity of products and services offered by the company?

Proposed Tasks

With the Board of Director’s approval, I will perform the following tasks to determine the importance of installing solar panels to substitute or supplement electricity in this company.

Task 1. Understanding of the Use of Solar Panels to Supply Energy

I have already started my research to establish ways solar panels can be used to generate energy in an organization. Solar panels are available in different sizes depending on the voltage required by users (Boxwell 32). Crumbs Bakery requires solar panels that can supply an average of 3000 megawatts. This means that the company will install ten panels, each producing 300 megawatts (Maeda 15). Companies that have successfully used solar panels to supply energy include McDonald’s and McGraw-Hill Publishers. Solar panels can be customized to fit the preferences of clients (Hurley 47).

Task 2: Researching Staff Attitudes toward Solar Panels as Sources of Energy

I would like to find out if the staff of Crumbs Bakery will support and approve alternative sources of energy apart from electricity. I will collect information about employees’ perceptions regarding the introduction of a clean and cheap source of energy to supplement or substitute the existing one. Also, I will compare my results with data from McGraw-Hill Publishing and McDonald’s, and suggest efficient ways of transitioning from electric to solar energy.

Moreover, I will use questionnaires and oral interviews to collect information from workers and search for online sources to obtain data from firms that have successfully replaced or supplemented their electricity supply with solar energy.

Task 3: Researching the Infrastructural Compatibility between Electricity and Solar Panels

I will examine whether the electricity cables, switches, sockets, plugs, and fuses will support the production, supply, and use of solar energy in the company. This will offer information that will help to reduce expenses; moreover, I will contact electricians and solar panel installers to confirm whether there will be the need to buy other energy supply appliances or not.

Schedules

The table below shows a schedule of the tasks required to complete the project. It is necessary to note that if approved the study will commence on February 13^th and end on April, 13^th, 2014. All tasks will start in the first week of the research but will not end at the same time as indicated in the table below.

X Key.

Indicates the number of weeks a task is to be undertaken

Experience

I have the relevant qualifications to conduct this feasibility study. My academic experience has exposed me to practical and theoretical issues that are relevant in ensuring organizations reduce their expenses and improve efficiency in production processes. I prepared the last proposal that enabled Crumbs Bakery to reduce expenses on stationeries and this gave me the experience and skills required to help this company to cut unnecessary costs.

Works Cited

Boxwell, Michael. Solar Electricity Handbook – 2013 Edition: A Simple Practical Guide to Solar Energy – Designing and Installing Photovoltaic Solar Electric Systems. Melbourne: Greenstream Publishing, 2012. Print.

Brown, Dwayne. The Beginner’s Guide to Solar Power: How to Save A LOT of Money the Easy Way. New York: Wiley, 2012. Print.

Hurley, Phillip. Build Your Solar Panel: Generate Electricity from the Sun. New York: Good Ideas Creative Services, 2012. Print.

Maeda, Martha. How to Solar Power Your Home Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply (Back-To-Basics Conserving). New York: Atlantic Publishing Group, 2011. Print.

Miller, Steven. Basic Solar Component Guide. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 2010. Print.