Industrial rooftop photovoltaic systems can be installed on different types of buildings and bring many benefits to the company that decides to invest in photovoltaic technology.
Modularity and wide typology of fastening technologies allow the installation of the PV plant on almost all existing roofs and industrial sheds, including flat roofs, pitched roofs, shed roofs and half barrel roofs.
Flat Roof
The solar panels are usually installed following roof orientation and with an inclination of about 30-35 °.It is important to pay attention to balustrades or parapets that can project shadows on the PV modules, and to properly space the rows of the PV modules to avoid them from shadowing each other. |
Pitched/Shed Roof
The photovoltaic panels are installed coplanar to the surface of the pitched roof or shed, therefore the position of the photovoltaic modules depends on the inclination and orientation of the roof. |
Half Barrel Roof
The PV modules are installed on the entire surface of the half barrel roof (East-West orientation) or only on the south-facing part and the central part of the roof (North-South orientation). |
The photovoltaic modules are usually mounted on special guides fixed on the industrial roof using screws, bolts and / or clamps. In case of flat roofs, the photovoltaic modules are properly ballasted on the photovoltaic roof in order to avoid drilling the cover of the industrial building.
Self Consumption
The main advantage of industrial rooftop photovoltaic systems is the fact that the electricity produced by the PV plant can be used by the company for its own consumption. This reduce the withdrawal by the electrical grid and consequently the cost of the electricity bill.
The percentage of self-consumption depends mainly on the correspondence between the production curves of the solar system and the energy demand of the industrial building, since the energy produced by the photovoltaic system must be consumed instantaneously (unless specific storage batteries are implemented in the system). A more or less significant reduction in the peaks of power absorption from the grid can be reached if the energy withdrawal of the company is concentrated in the central phases of the day, in correspondence with the hours of maximum production of the PV plant (Peak Shaving effect).
Consumption profiles vs production profiles for a 1 MW PV plant with a producibility of 1,100 kWh / year.
Comparison between energy bill tariff components in Italy before and after the contribution of self-consumption.
It is important that the sizing and installation of the industrial rooftop photovoltaic system are carried out by specialized EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) companies that can guarantee know-how and experience, in order to avoid future problems on the PV plant and on the industrial building (e.g. water tightness, fire risk, low producibility etc …).
Read the Blog on the importance of choosing a qualified photovoltaic EPC company>
Generally an high power capacity is always positive for the companies. The available space on the roof is the main limiting factor ( 1 MWp of photovoltaic requires a net free area of approximately 600-700 m2).
Electricity sales
The electricity produced by the photovoltaic system and not instantaneously consumed can be sold to the national electricity grid and enhanced according to the rules of the electricity market.
Added value and Green image
The photovoltaic system is not only an attractive low risk investment with predictable and stable long term returns, but it increases the value of the real estate properties on which it is installed and offers a ”Green” image of environmental responsibility that enhances reputation in terms of communication, thus increasing the positive perception by customers.
Photovoltaic solar energy reduces environmental pollution by avoiding carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for an estimated average value of 0.5 kg per kWh produced, equivalent to the benefit obtained by planting 6 large trees.
Enerray is a leading company in the design and installation of industrial photovoltaic systems, with more than 180 PV plants installed on commercial and industrial buildings.
Thanks to over 10 years of experience acquired in the solar energy sector, Enerray is able to provide a reliable, guaranteed and optimized photovoltaic system. The business model proposed by Enerray in Italy is based on the “Energy Service Company” or ESCo system: the PV system is fully financed against a long-term PPA contract signed with the customer, who pays the photovoltaic plant using the savings in the energy bill.
Contact us for more information or to arrange no-obligation appointment. Our Team will make a proposal tailored to your needs, clearly free of charge>