A warehouse roof that runs the day shift

A distribution site runs lighting, cooling, and forklift charging from early morning until late afternoon. That daytime load lines up almost perfectly with solar output, but the large flat roof had never been used.

The challenge

The building had to stay open during the whole installation, with trucks loading every hour. The roof membrane was only a few years old, so the mounting system could not drill through it, and the client needed a fixed budget before the board would sign off.

The system we designed

We used a ballasted, east-west mounting system that sits on the roof without penetrations and fits more panels into the same area. Work was split into zones so each section of the warehouse stayed safe and open.

• 540 panels, 240 kWp, on a ballasted east-west frame
• Four string inverters with remote monitoring
• Load-matching controls so forklift charging follows solar output
• Annual inspection and cleaning plan included

The result

The array produces 226,000 kWh a year and covers 82% of the site’s daytime electricity. Energy costs dropped by more than a third, and with current tariffs the system pays back in under five years.