Airlifting PV modules for C&I solar projects
- Is airlifting solar modules the future of industrial and industrial roof PV setup? Epho Commercial Solar just recently made use of a helicopter to airlift pallets of modules to 12 roofs at a Woolworths area in Australia.
In July, Epho Commercial Solar airlifted planetary systems onto 12 different rooftops at the Woolworths head office in higher Sydney. Exactly how did they do it? Well, they did what any of us would do when we're stuck in a bind-- they called in a helicopter.
Woolworths was looking to reduce its exhausts by setting up a 572 kW solar system atop its substantial Norwest Support Office in Bella Vista. Nonetheless, Epho Managing Director Oliver Hartley told pv magazine Australia that because of the distinctly intricate variables of the project, "a price advantage evaluation was made and the helicopter scenario ended up being not only competitive but also allowed the entire system to be raised to all 12 below roofs (and also different mechanical plant decks) within the area of 8 hours."
Hartley estimated the same undertaking with cranes would have taken more than 3 days, and triggered "considerable web traffic monitoring, and hence raise disruption to the public and also personnel."
Epho now thinks that small helicopters will be used much more consistently for complex installations like the one at the Woolworths Norwest Support Office. Without thinking outside the box, such complicated installations might have been terminated in the past, but now it has actually been shown that there is a sensible alternative.
Airlifting modules is reserved for special cases, so due to the fact that they bring their very own raft of difficulties, says Hartley. "For circumstances the buildings require to be totally left which may not be conveniently attainable in many cases. For easy projects (solitary roofing system with ideal access), scissor lifts or mobile cranes are likely to continue to be the mainstream favored installment technique for solar projects," he includes.
This stated, helicopters are handy. Installment times are dramatically lowered, as well as since the equipment is lifted to specifically where it needs to be, hand-operated handling is lowered and also for that reason employee security is boosted.