Australian startup presents shading photovoltaics for commercial applications
shading photovoltaics solar panels technology 2022
Canyon Solar unveiled a prefab structure photovoltaic shading for commercial parking applications. It claims it can be installed at least three times faster than traditional systems and rivals rooftop solar on cost per watt.
Sydney-based manufacturer Canyon Solar has launched a solar car park solution for commercial applications designed specifically for quick installation with company director Will Beaumont claiming the time savings translates into a significant reduction in site labor requirements and corresponding cost savings for customers.
"We found that with the second prototype we've just completed at the installation in the Southern Highlands, we have three times faster installation compared to an in-situ system," he said. “If you're deploying it three times faster than an on-premises installation, there's a very good labor savings. "The labor component is typically 40% of the cost of the turnkey system, so that translates into about a 20% cost savings in labor."
Canyon's modular solar shade structure is based around individual pods, each 7,5 meters long and 2,6 meters wide. With two pods combining to create a single unit covering three car parking spaces. The units can be deployed in series to shelter hundreds of vehicles, the manufacturer said.
Each individual pod houses six double-sided 660W panels from Canadian Solar paired with multi-string inverters from Sungrow, but the structure is designed to easily integrate components from other manufacturers as well. The waterproof system can be connected to the grid, connected to storage and seamlessly integrated with electric vehicle charging stations.
The pods and steel support structures are pre-assembled at the factory and delivered to the site where they are lifted into place over the prefabricated columns and beams. The final electrical connections are completed before the system is put into operation.
"Basically 80% of the work is done before it gets to the site," Beaumont said. “All the units are already installed, they're wired, the sealing system is actually built into the unit's mounting system, so it's already done. “The idea is when you go to install it, all you do is erect the columns and the beams are attached to it. Then you basically just use a forklift or a remote control to lift the containers into place and complete the final connections.”
Comparison with older shading methods
Beaumont, who founded Canyon Solar after time spent with C&I solar heavyweight Solgen Energy, said modular shading structures provide a cost-effective alternative to traditional fabric or film shading structures and solar installations. rooftop solar panels.
"If you're trying to sell solar on just solar, carport systems don't make sense because there's a lot of extra cost in terms of the foundation, the support structure and all those components," he said. “But when you look at what a traditional shade cloth costs and what solar panels cost photovoltaics, which is typically $0,82 per W, when you combine these two budgets, our solar shade structure actually costs less. “When you deduct the cost of a normal shading structure, our actual solar costs are typically between AUD 1,10 and AUD 1,20 per W. If you're already thinking about putting shade in your car park, solar shading is actually better than solar roof in many cases.
Canyon Solar has yet to secure its first project, but Beaumont said the company is in talks with "some malls and universities" with the first of the installations expected to be completed before the end of the year. "I'm very optimistic that modular solar shade structures will be a big part of the future solar industry," he said. "We have now reached the point where it is commercially better to install a solar shade structure than a traditional membrane-based shade cloth."
