Solar

Key Considerations in Designing PV Systems: Fire Safety, Maintenance, Wind Resistance

Introduction

Understanding the importance of integrating photovoltaic (PV) systems into building roofs to harness solar energy as a renewable source in the near term and before the pivotal year of 2050, Evergreen is committed to ensuring the safety and maintainability of every installation. It is crucial not to overlook the technical aspects of PV systems, including fire safety, structural integrity, and mechanical support and anchoring of the photovoltaic surfaces.

Ensuring Adequate Power and Energy Sharing

When designing a PV system, it is essential to install a capacity that matches the building’s real energy consumption patterns throughout the year. This approach ensures optimal utilization of the generated energy. Energy storage solutions, while useful, can be costly and often have limited durability. Therefore, designing a system that aligns closely with actual energy needs can mitigate these drawbacks. Additionally, wherever possible, sharing energy production with adjacent users through energy self-consumption communities can enhance efficiency and reduce costs.

Evaluating Roofing Materials and Fire Risks

A predictive evaluation of the roofing materials is necessary to understand the potential risks and impacts associated with the PV system, particularly in the event of a short circuit or fire. This evaluation should include an assessment of how the PV system interacts with the existing roof materials and the potential consequences of any electrical malfunctions. Ensuring that the PV installation does not compromise the fire safety of the building is paramount.

Considering the Permanent Load

Photovoltaic surfaces add a permanent load to the building’s roof. While this load typically results in minimal additional stress on the underlying structure, it is crucial to account for it during the design phase. The structural integrity of the roof must be evaluated to ensure it can support the added weight without compromising its stability or performance. This consideration is vital to prevent structural failures that could result from overloading.

Assessing Wind Effects

The effects of wind on the PV system must be thoroughly evaluated to prevent potential failures that could cause material damage to third parties, especially given the increasingly extreme weather events. Wind can exert significant forces on the PV panels and their mounting structures, so it is essential to ensure that the system can withstand these forces. This assessment includes understanding the local wind patterns and designing the anchoring and support structures accordingly.

Hail Resistance and Panel Durability

The hail resistance classification of the photovoltaic panels is another critical factor to consider. The mechanical properties of the glass that protects the photovoltaic cells play a crucial role in the panel’s durability. Ensuring that the panels can withstand hail and other environmental impacts without significant damage is essential for maintaining the system’s longevity and performance.

Ensuring Stability with Appropriate Mounting Techniques

Ensuring the stability of PV systems typically involves two primary approaches: the use of ballasts and direct attachment to the roof support structure. Ballast systems add weight to the PV installation to secure it in place, while direct attachment involves mechanically fastening the PV system to the existing roof structure. Both methods require a thorough evaluation of the load-bearing capacity of the existing structure and the potential local consequences, such as punching or deformation of insulating layers, which could compromise the roof’s waterproofing.

Facilitating Maintenance and Ensuring Accessibility

Facilitating maintenance is vital to reduce the costs associated with periodic cleaning and inspection of the PV system. During the design phase, it is crucial to ensure that the PV system is designed with easy access points and safe spaces for cleaning and maintenance activities. This includes compliance with current regulations, which often mandate the provision of guardrails and safety lines. Ensuring that maintenance can be performed safely and efficiently helps to maintain the system’s performance and prolong its lifespan.

Conclusion

At Evergreen, we are committed to providing reliable and safe technical solutions for integrating photovoltaic systems into building roofs, thereby contributing to the transition towards a sustainable energy future. By addressing these key considerations, including energy matching, material evaluation, load assessment, wind and hail resistance, and maintenance accessibility, we ensure that our PV installations are not only efficient but also safe and durable. These efforts align with our mission to advance sustainable energy practices, ensuring that our PV systems support a low-carbon future while maintaining the highest standards of safety and reliability.

Miro Rava

Data Scientist and Certified EU Drone Operator at System Evergreen AG

Enhancing Energy Flexibility: How Evergreen is Paving the Way to a Low-Carbon Future

Innovative Solutions and Strategic Collaborations for Sustainable and Resilient Energy Systems

As the world moves towards a low-carbon future, the need for energy flexibility in buildings becomes increasingly critical. At Evergreen, we are dedicated to advancing sustainable building technologies that not only meet current energy efficiency standards but also adapt to the dynamic needs of the energy market. Recently, we had the opportunity to address these issues in a panel at the Energy Flexibility Forum: Advancing Building and Community Management Solutions in Prague. This panel, organized as part of the GLocalFlex project, focused on demonstrating grid balancing mechanisms through cross-sectoral interconnected and integrated energy ecosystems enabling automatic flexibility trading. In this blog post, we will explore the ten key questions discussed during the panel, highlighting how Evergreen’s innovative projects, like the Figino Resort, are at the forefront of this transformative movement.

Q1. How can building energy flexibility contribute to a low-carbon future energy system? Building energy flexibility plays a crucial role in a low-carbon future by allowing buildings to adapt their energy demand in response to supply conditions. This adaptability enhances the integration of renewable energy sources by aligning energy consumption with periods of high renewable energy generation, thus reducing reliance on carbon-intensive power sources. At Evergreen®, our focus on advanced solar technology and hydrogen as an energy vector in projects like the Figino Resort demonstrates our commitment to such flexibility, ensuring our projects contribute to a sustainable and low-carbon energy ecosystem.

Q2. How can energy flexibility be quantified? Energy flexibility can be quantified through indicators such as the Demand Response Potential (DRP), which measures a building’s ability to adjust its electricity load in response to external signals. Other metrics include the Shiftability Index and the Load Shifting Potential, which assess the capacity to shift energy usage across different time periods. These quantitative assessments help in designing systems that optimize energy consumption patterns in line with renewable availability, a strategy Evergreen® employs to maximize the efficiency of our energy-efficient building solutions.

Q3. How can energy flexibility be harnessed? Energy flexibility can be harnessed through technologies such as smart grids, advanced metering infrastructure, and energy management systems that enable real-time monitoring and control of energy usage. By integrating these technologies into buildings, like in our Figino Resort project, Evergreen® enables automated adjustments to energy consumption based on grid demands and renewable supply, thereby optimizing energy use and reducing operational costs.

Q4. How do multicarrier energy systems contribute to energy flexibility? Multicarrier energy systems, which utilize multiple energy sources and carriers (e.g., electricity, heat, gas, hydrogen), enhance energy flexibility by providing various options for energy generation, storage, and consumption. These systems allow for better balancing between supply and demand, facilitating the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources. Evergreen® leverages multicarrier systems to ensure our projects are versatile and adaptable to different energy inputs and market conditions.

Q5. Can energy flexible buildings contribute to energy system resilience? Yes, energy flexible buildings can significantly enhance energy system resilience by reducing peak load pressures on the grid and providing backup options during outages or fluctuations. Buildings with the ability to modulate their energy demand and supply can act as micro energy hubs that support grid stability. Evergreen® designs buildings with these capabilities, ensuring they not only meet energy efficiency standards but also contribute to the broader resilience of the energy infrastructure.

Q6. Who are the stakeholders involved in energy flexibility? Stakeholders in energy flexibility include building owners, tenants, utility companies, energy service providers, local governments, and regulatory bodies. Each plays a role in implementing and benefiting from flexible energy solutions. Evergreen® actively collaborates with these stakeholders to tailor our engineering solutions, ensuring alignment with local regulations and community needs while maximizing energy efficiency.

Q7. What new approaches to the design of energy flexibility solutions can increase user engagement? Innovative design approaches such as gamified energy management systems, real-time energy consumption feedback, and personalized energy saving tips can significantly increase user engagement. By making energy usage data accessible and understandable, users are more likely to adjust their behavior to save energy. Evergreen® incorporates these user-centric designs into our projects, fostering a culture of proactive energy management.

Q8. How should energy performance standards and requirements be adapted to support building energy flexibility? Energy performance standards should evolve to not only mandate minimum energy efficiency levels but also reward flexibility capabilities that align energy usage with grid needs and renewable energy availability. Standards like these would encourage the adoption of advanced technologies and designs that Evergreen® specializes in, promoting broader implementation of flexible and sustainable building solutions.

Q9. What business models can successfully develop and utilize energy flexibility? Business models such as Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS), where customers pay for energy services rather than the energy itself, can drive the adoption of energy flexibility. This model encourages the use of energy-saving and flexible technologies without upfront costs to the user. Evergreen® supports such models by offering consultancy and engineering solutions that facilitate the transition to innovative and flexible energy usage practices.

Q10. How can policy evolution support the future deployment of energy flexibility? Policy evolution can support energy flexibility by incentivizing investments in smart energy technologies, revising building codes to require or reward flexible energy capabilities, and supporting pilot projects that demonstrate the benefits of energy flexibility. Such policies would align with Evergreen®’s strategic objectives, enabling us to contribute more effectively to the development of sustainable, flexible energy solutions in the markets we serve.

Conclusion

Building energy flexibility is a cornerstone of the transition to a sustainable and resilient energy system. By incorporating advanced technologies such as smart grids, multicarrier energy systems, and user-centric energy management designs, we can create buildings that not only minimize their carbon footprint but also actively contribute to grid stability and resilience. The insights shared during the Energy Flexibility Forum in Prague, organized under the GLocalFlex project, emphasized the importance of these innovations. At Evergreen®, we collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders to develop tailored solutions that meet local regulations and community needs, promoting a proactive culture of energy management. As policies evolve to support energy flexibility and innovative business models like Energy-as-a-Service gain traction, the future deployment of flexible energy solutions will become increasingly viable. Through our commitment to cutting-edge engineering and sustainable practices, Evergreen® is proud to lead the way in creating the flexible, low-carbon buildings of tomorrow.

Giuseppe Macario

CEO & Senior Executive Project Director at System Evergreen AG

Designing Safe and Efficient PV Systems: Key Considerations