A 34-kilowatt photovoltaic solar system has been installed on a new roof constructed over the rooftop car park at South Melbourne Market.
Small- and mid-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar is being adopted by more organisations as a way to reduce their peak load energy demand and reduce the overall energy consumption of a facility, according to NuGreen Solutions. The company recently completed delivery of the first stage, a 34-kilowatt PV solar system for the City of Port Phillip on a new roof constructed over the rooftop car park at South Melbourne Market.
The grid-connected system consists of approximately 136 250-watt monocrystalline panels, is self-cleaning and includes a data logger and display panel located within the market area. This is, however, just a small percentage of the proposed panels for the roof, which, when completed, could be in excess of 1000 panels. This initial project has attracted 604 Small Scale Technology Certificates (STCs) – each certificate equal to approximately 1 megawatt per hour of renewable energy and a market value of between $20 and $40 per STC.
As the system is grid connected, the market can reduce its peak load demand and reduce its overall energy consumption and costs. The overall design is optimised for the correct solar orientation of the site, and the roof design pitch of approximately 25 degrees considered solar panel installation and orientation, therefore eliminating the need for adjustable angle brackets.
