Dorset-based Renewable Energy Installers and selected regional partner for Sun Edison, H2 Eco, have installed what it calls the largest Sun Edison RSC UK (residential and small commercial) solar PV system in the UK. Fighting through adverse weather conditions, the professionals at H2 Eco have installed a staggering 348.3kWp system, consisting of 1247 panels and a total number of 16 individual systems spread over 3 buildings located in Romsey, Hampshire.
The roof mounting system designed and provided by Wagner Solar. Alongside this, an inverter system from Solar Edge using a mixture of P600 and P350 optimisers with two 10k and fourteen 17k inverters were installed to draw power from and monitor all of the Sun Edison panels.
The system has been installed on the roofs of Wynford Industrial Park, which is owned and run by Wynford Properties Ltd. (Wynford Properties provide their tenants with free electricity claiming the feed in tariffs themselves, and as such were looking for a system which would maximise returns.)
H2 Eco designed a solar PV system for Wynford Properties with smaller individual connections (which have higher feed in tariff rates) and an optimum number of inverters per connection. The designed system maximised the usability of energy across the Wynford Properties units so that more of their tenants could benefit from the reduced energy costs alongside maximising the FIT return for Wynford Properties.
The system was also required to run through Wynford Properties own dedicated internet connection and as such involved a complex communication setup using both wired RS485 and wireless Zigbee Comms links to send the monitored data to Solar Edge's servers allowing panel-level monitoring by Wynford Properties, installer H2ecO and Solar Edge. H2 Eco also assisted with the replacement of nearly 100 old Skylights and repairs to several existing roof leaks which were easier to access whilst scaffolding was in place for the PV installation.
"This project was not just a case of delivering and installing panels to produce electricity," said Mike Stephenson, director of
H2 Eco. "What we have achieved is to provide a sustainable business solution that allows landlords to maximise their returns by using a system (which can be remotely monitored) that takes minimal effort on their part. They are entirely in control, and can choose whether to charge for electric supply and of course how much."
By the fourth year, Stephenson predics that more than half of the investment will be paid back -- "even more still if the landlord were to charge for the electricity supply," he said.