A vertical solar array was installed on the side of one of the largest office buildings in Shorewood, Wisconsin. Arch Solar installed a vertical solar array totaling 54 kW on Dominion Properties’ seven-story building.
Credit: SolarEdge
“Solar represents a huge market opportunity for commercial office locations,” said Mike O’Connor, cofounder of Dominion Properties. “Being an office building — where typical working hours are when the most energy is used — a proportion of the building’s energy will come from solar. This means our tenants can enjoy savings on their energy bills, particularly important today as the cost of energy continues to skyrocket. This project is the first of many, and we hope that it will encourage other developers to make use of otherwise wasted space on high-rise buildings by embracing solar as a clean, cost-saving energy source.”
The installation features 120 solar modules secured using masonry anchors in an array that is 83-ft high by 23-ft wide. The system uses three SolarEdge inverters with Synergy Technology and SolarEdge Power Optimizers which are attached to the modules to optimize module performance.
“This far North in Milwaukee, the ideal installation for modules is at a 23° angle for maximum sun exposure and to help snow clear,” said JD Smith, head of business development at Arch Solar. “However, for wall installations such as the vertical high-rise array with Dominion Properties, this is a more complex challenge, as the modules need to be mounted at a 90° angle. If you don’t want to lose power efficiency, then really SolarEdge’s inverters and Power Optimizers are the only choice. For Dominion Properties, maximizing power generation to ensure maximum savings for tenants was a non-negotiable, so having access to this technology is what made this project possible.”
The SolarEdge inverters include arc fault detection, temperature sensors in the AC/DC terminal blocks, and SolarEdge’s SafeDC function, which automatically reduces the voltage in each solar module to a touch-safe level to enable safe roof access for maintenance teams or firefighters.
“As an installer, safety is always front of mind when it comes to installations for customers – even more so in this case given the central locality of this building,” continues Smith. “Solar inverter technology has made huge strides in this area in recent years, particularly with stricter regulations coming into place. It’s fair to say SolarEdge technology and safety go hand in hand, with some really innovative features to mitigate risk and validated by the relevant certification, which is always helpful in assuring customers.”
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