Roof-mounted solar panel technology can significantly reduce the consumption of external energy and increase the energy efficiency of commercial buildings.
Rauta RoofSolar is a complex system of solar panels on the roof of a building, which includes an enclosing structure made of Ruukki roofing sandwich panels and modern monocrystalline solar panels with a set of special roof mounts.
The solution can be used to generate electricity with its subsequent supply to the general electricity grid at a “green” tariff or for the building’s own electricity needs.
Savings on electricity consumption. Solar panels on the roof allow you to generate electricity in a volume greater than the building’s own needs, which significantly increases its energy efficiency and allows you to get more points for LEED and BREEAM certification.
Energy independence. By balancing the level of generation and consumption of electricity, Rauta RoofSolar allows you to create absolutely energy-independent buildings, the operation of which does not require the presence of centralized power supply lines.
The turnkey solution guarantees absolute compatibility of all system elements and high reliability of its operation. The building owner gets the sandwich panel roof structures and a fully operational rooftop solar power station from one supplier.
Reducing the cost of construction. Integrated supply and installation of roofing materials together with a solar station allows to further reduce the construction budget compared to the involvement of many suppliers. The Rauta RoofSolar technology involves the use of guides of reduced metal consumption, which reduces the weight of the system and the costs of installing a substructure.
High durability. The use of Ruukki sandwich panels, high-quality monocrystalline photocells, and specially thought-out fasteners guarantees high reliability of the construction and the absence of corrosion points in the attachment points throughout the entire life of the roof. The RoofSolar system uses only solar panels from leading manufacturers included in the TIER1 rating. The warranty for 80% of the output power of the solar station is 25 years.
Ease of installation. The solar panels are fixed on the roof using a simple system of profiles and brackets specially designed for the installation of photovoltaic cells on the surface of Ruukki sandwich panels. Solar panels on the roof of a building with an area of 1,000 m2 can be installed in just 10 days.
Economy of building area. The RoofSolar system does not require a separate area for the installation of the solar power station, as it is mounted on the roof of the building, which is usually not used by the business.
Reducing the carbon footprint. Alternative energy generation technologies used in commercial buildings have a positive effect on the environment, reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. For example, a solar station on the roof of a building with an area of 1,000 m2 reduces annual CO2 emissions by 137 tons.
Improving the reputation of the company and the value of the building. The implemented “green” solutions enhance the image of the owner company in the eyes of society and increase the market value of the building in case of its sale.
The optimal roof configuration for using the RoofSolar system is a gable roof made of sandwich panels with a slope angle of 10°.
Rauta RoofSolar can be effectively used to generate energy with subsequent sale to the public electricity grid at a “green” tariff, or for own consumption. In both cases, the investor saves on the purchase of battery equipment. At the same time, for the efficient use of a solar station for business needs, it is desirable that the energy consumption during the daytime period is equal to or greater than the peak generation of the station on sunny days.
An example of calculating the payback of the Rauta RoofSolar system for a building with an area of 1,000 m2
| Building area, m2 | 1,000 |
| Roof slope, degree | 10 |
| Area of solar panels on the roof, m2 | 781 |
| Type of panels | Monocrystalline |
| Annual generation of the solar station | |
| – Slope to the south, kW⋅h | 94,034 |
| – Slope to the north, kW⋅h | 84,271 |
| – Total, kW⋅h | 178,305 |
| Conditional stable load of production equipment during working hours, kW⋅h | 80 |
| Conditional average monthly energy consumption of the facility during working hours, kW h | 15,000 |
| Solar station when connected to public networks and selling electricity at a “green” tariff | |
| – Full cost of the station with installation and connection to networks, $ | 118,467 |
| – “Green” tariff*, $/kW⋅h | 0.17 |
| – Cost of generated energy, $/year | 30,112 |
| – Payback period of the station, years | 3.9 |
| Solar station for own consumption by business | |
| – The full cost of the station with installation, $ | 90,710 |
| – Industrial tariff**, $/kW⋅h | 0.15 |
| – Cost of generated energy, $/year | 26,745 |
| – Payback period of the station, years | 3.4 |
* as of April 2023
** average indicator for Kyiv region as of April 2023
The balance of electricity use during working hours at a stable conditional load of production equipment of 80 kW/h.
In order for the investment in the solar station to be as effective as possible, it is not enough to just buy solar panels for the roof, because the solar station requires the project development, the use of special fasteners, the use of reliable accessories, etc. Deep expertise in sandwich panel enclosure solutions as well as solar energy generation technologies allow Rauta to offer the RoofSolar system – the best solar panel solution for the roof of commercial buildings.
