Solar Case Studies - Commercial

The grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) system with Sharp modules mounted on a metal pitched roof.

The system generates sufficient electricity to meet 10% of the buildings energy demand from on-site renewables.

The arrays are almost silent in operation and will generate around 11,850 kWh of environmentally-friendly free electricity each year.

The installation comprises:-

• 90 x Sharp 180Wp monocrystalline NU-180 Modules
• 3 x Fronius IG40 Inverters
• Schüco PV Light mounting system

The grid connected solar arrays were installed and commissioned by Ardenham Energy Ltd on a new build factory/warehouse development as part of local authority planning requirements.

The arrays are a combination of a 30 panel array split into two 15 panel arrays to provide electricity for the two units it feeds.

The arrays are almost silent in operation and will generate around 4500 kWh of greenhouse gas free electricity each year.

The installation comprises:-

• 30 no Sharp 170Wp polycrystalline Modules
• 2 no Fronius Inverters
• Pulsed kWh Meters
• DC and AC switchgear

Ardenham Energy Ltd is an engineering contractor certified under the MCS Low Carbon Buildings Scheme for grant aided projects (www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk). The company has extensive renewable energy engineering project experience can provide a full service for wind systems, solar PV (electric), solar hot water systems, ground and air source heat pumps and back up power systems for domestic, governmental and commercial and non commercial buildings in the Home Counties and London region.

The grid connected solar array systems were installed and by Ardenham Energy Ltd on a new build factory/warehouse development as part of local authority planning requirements in Derbyshire. The 9 arrays are a combination of a 7 x 2.5 kWp and 2 x 3 kwp arrays installed on 9 warehouses. The arrays are almost silent in operation and will generate around 20000 kWh of greenhouse gas free electricity each year.

The installation comprises:-

• 141 Sharp 170Wp polycrystalline Modules
• 9 no Fronius Inverters
• Pulsed kWh Meters
• DC and AC switchgear

HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world. It has an international network that comprises of over 10,000 offices in 83 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. As part of its $99 million 5 year Global Environmental Efficiency Programme (GEEP), HSBC has installed 422 Sharp solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof of its iconic global headquarters in Canary Wharf, London.

As the world’s first carbon neutral bank, HSBC is committed to its investment in renewable energy and has installed solar PV panels on many of its buildings across the globe, including its Bricket Wood Global Management Training Centre in the UK, the Leeds First Direct building, HSBC Exeter, HSBC Bristol, Malta, the zero carbon branch in Greece, New York and the Global Technology Centre in India.

HSBC made the decision to install 617m² of solar PV panels on its Canary Wharf headquarters not only to increase the overall energy efficiency of the building, but as an investment in low carbon technologies and as a way of showcasing this type of technology to the rest of the HSBC group, its clients and customers around the world.

Matthew Robinson, Footprint Manager of Group Corporate Sustainability at HSBC, comments: “We truly value our investment in renewable energy at HSBC and at 210m, the solar PV installation at our global headquarters in Canary Wharf is the highest corporate installation of its kind in Europe and an incredible feat of engineering. The panels will generate 1,550,000 kilowatt hours of green electricity over the building’s lease”

The solar PV panels, were manufactured at Sharp’s UK factory based in Wrexham, Wales, and are expected to contribute to overall savings of a further three per cent of the famous building’s total energy consumption over the next two years.

With over 40 years of solar PV panel manufacturing experience and over 100,000 of its systems providing solar power in countries around the globe, Sharp was the natural choice of supplier for HSBC. The bank’s commitment to a low carbon economy and investment in solar energy and other forms of renewable energy is closely aligned to Sharp’s own mission to satisfy 25% of worldwide energy demand with solar PV by 2040.

Andrew Lee, General Manager of Solar at Sharp UK, discusses HSBC’s implementation: “HSBC is demonstrating a real commitment to its environmental efficiency programme by installing solar PV on its Canary Wharf headquarters and other real estate around the world. The installation of solar PV panels at such a large corporate building and some of the bank’s small branches should encourage companies of all sizes to follow suit and reduce their carbon footprints. We believe that large global businesses have a responsibility to lead by example when it comes to considering their impact on the environment – and this is exactly what HSBC is doing with this installation. Hopefully it will encourage businesses of all sizes to adopt similar practices.”

Robinson continues; “Our commitment to renewable energy will see us roll out solar PV installations at other buildings both in the UK and across the Group in the near future. We are also interested in trialling innovative thin film technologies once they become available.”

This impressive grid connected 15 Kw PV array was installed at British Telecoms Head Office, in London by KN Renewable Energy and were supplied by Alternergy. In order to maintain the integrity of the roof structure the 84 x Monocrystalline modules were inaugurated on a bespoke steel frame arranged on plinths. The plinths and steelwork were craned onto the roof over a weekend and the array instated the following week.

The system was a test case for BT to reduce their global carbon emissions and electricity consumption. BT now plan to spend £250 million on renewable energy systems and CO2 savings over the next few years and intend to install further PV systems on their premises around the country.

The installation of the SB1000 Energy Roof took place on the 48 acre site of the Gazeley ‘Blade’ warehouse, Sheffield in October 2006. Sharp modules were used to provide a total of 36 SB1000 solar rooftop generators, each rated at 1kWp, which were installed to form the energy roof system without any building structural upgrade costs.

Generating over 28,000 kWh each year, the system is likely to save the CO2 emissions equivalent of eight three bedroom houses and provide 75% of the offices electricity needs.

The example of Gazeley illustrates the sharp cuts in carbon emissions that can be achieved through the application of photovoltaics, which combined with other environmentally friendly technologies can make a significant positive impact on the environment.

The largest commercial solar facade in Europe, and also one of the largest solar power systems in the UK, the CIS Tower incorporates 7,244 Sharp 80W modules which are used to clad the entire service tower.

The service core was previously covered in no less than 14 million one centimetre square, grey tesserae which were replaced by the 7,244 Sharp 80W modules.

This project demonstrates how solar power can be easily incorporated into any building refurbishment to provide an extremely cost effective alternative to conventional building materials.

The award winning Eden Project has been one of Cornwall’s most popular tourist attractions since it opened in March 2001. The remit of the site is to promote the understanding and responsible management of the relationship between plants, people and resources to create a sustainable future for all. So when the next stage of the development began – the construction of an Education and Resource Centre ('The Core') – the design of the building was always going to be of great interest, with Tim Smit, Eden’s Chief Executive predicting that it will ‘one of the most sustainable, finest modern building in the world’.

The building's design, inspired by plant formations, was created by world-leading architects Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners. The main contractor, McAlpine Joint Ventures, worked with Solarcentury on the project to integrate 338 Sharp solar PV panels within the building's ‘Fibonacci’ roof design. The Core is the most geometrically complex roof structure into which Solarcentury has incorporated solar PV

Sharp Solar PV modules help reduce the average heating bills for the 28 social housing flats to around £75 per annum.

The solar photovoltaic (PV) array(s) installed onto the block of 28 social housing flats which make up Marchant House on St Matthews Estate are made up of a total of 24nr Sharp 165W modules supplied by Solarcentury.

The modules cover a total area of 31m² and are capable of producing a total peak DC power of 3.96kilowatts under Standard Test Conditions (STC). The arrays will provide approximately 3109 kilowatt hours of energy each year.

This Tesco petrol filling station has a solar roof made up of 96 Sharp photovoltaic panels.

The solar roof generates around 12,500 units of clean electricity every year, enough to power 4 three-bedroom houses, make 600,000 slices of toast or do 5,500 loads of washing!

By generating its own clean electricity (approximately 12,700 kilowatt-hours of green energy per annum is expected to be generated), Tesco’s petrol filling station will prevent 5.5 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions being released into the atmosphere each year.

Sharp polycrystalline silicon solar modules were chosen for this project as they can be easily fitted to metal frames to give an effective low cost rooftop mounting solution.