Renewable Energy

Posted by Admin on August 21, 2011

How it works

Although solar-panel layouts are tailored to each rooftop, some roofs are more desirable than others, says Dave Rogers, chief executive officer of AMP Solar Group.

The idea is 40,000 to 50,000 square feet of flat surface, with little foot traffic, Mr. Rogers says. But that’s only 10 per cent of what’s out there. “The biggest factor is the condition of the roof and its structural capacity. We figure out where the roof is in its life, and if the roof is solar-ready, we just put solar panels on. In most cases it will require some roof work, and we’ll pay for that.”

Once the roof is ready to go, solar panels are installed. They are weighted by ballast to keep them in place – the company tries to avoid making holes in the roof to prevent leaks, and this also makes the panels easily removable in case the building owner needs to make roof repairs.

The panels are then connected to a junction box, and power is fed into the city’s main grid. The amount of energy produced is metered and, for the next 20 years, the panels collect energy with very little maintenance. A 17,000-square-foot building – similar to IKEA’s store in Vaughan, Ont. – would generate about 320,000 kilowatt hours per year, or enough to power 33 homes.

Some companies are experimenting with ways to utilize smaller roofs of 10,000 square feet or less. For instance, Solar Power Network installs panels almost flat, at a 5-degree angle (traditionally panels are positioned at a 30-degree angle to capture the most sunlight). The flatter a panel is, the less ballast it requires, and so this plan is suitable for smaller buildings with more load restrictions.

Kararent Team