Salmons Department Store in Ballinasloe has been serving the local community for more than six decades. As energy costs rose sharply, owner Dermot Salmon decided it was time to take action. Partnering with Solgrid, he invested in a commercial solar PV system that’s already delivering real savings.
A Local Business Backing Local Solutions
“We’re 63 years in business this year, so we’re a long time in Ballinasloe, and we’re a good part of the community. I am 30 years doing this now, would you believe?”
Dermot explains that working with Solgrid was an easy decision:
“My experience with Solgrid was very positive, very professional and very efficient. Plus, they are a local company as well, and we like to support local.”
Real Results and Smart Technology
Since installation, Salmons Department Store has already seen a major difference in its energy use.
“The energy costs have come down. Of course we had great weather in April and May, and we generated I think it was 55% of our own energy in May, which was brilliant!”
Dermot was equally impressed by the technology and monitoring system:
“I was very impressed with the technology that was used to put the solar panels up onto the roof and I am very impressed with the app as well, I thought that was very good!”
A Sound Investment for Business Owners
For Dermot, solar power is not just an environmental decision — it’s a solid business move.
“It is well worth investing [in solar panels], it is good value for the amount of capital involved, when you look at it. We should recover our capital within 3 years.”
The figures back that up, with the system expected to pay for itself in less than three years and deliver strong long-term returns through reduced energy bills and grant support.
Solar for Businesses: Salmons Department Store Leads by Example