GreenCape has developed a business case for solar PV for packhouses, with the key insights and opportunities summarised in this short industry brief.
Results
The modelling shows:
- Economies of scale are important, with favourable returns in all scenarios for a large (500kWp) system.
- For smaller systems, access to favourable financing and loan terms is a key issue determining feasibility.
Four packhouses that have implemented solar PV already are showcased as case studies, demonstrating savings of up to 18%.
Overall, the case of solar PV is particularly strong for three reasons:
- Packhouses need energy during the day when energy can be generated using sunlight.
- Packhouses have significant roof-space available for the installation of solar PV.
- Solar PV use for cooling is a very good fit, with reported savings of up to 80% of monthly cooling costs, because solar PV absorbs heat energy from the sun and reduces the need for cooling.Â
For those interested in the full modelled results and more in depth consideration of the factors driving the financial feasibility, the full report will be useful.