Commercial solar self-consumption in Italy pays off

02/07/2018 | Print view

A 367 kW PV system powers the headquarters of food wholesaler Polo in Teolo, close to Verona. - © Hanwha Q CELLS — © Hanwha Q CELLS

A 367 kW PV system powers the headquarters of food wholesaler Polo in Teolo, close to Verona.

Solar self-consumption often pays off for companies in commerce and industry in Italy, even without feed-in-tariffs. Recent example is a food wholesaler in Teolo. The payback period of his solar system is less than four years.

Solar modules from Hanwha Q CELLS make the sun cool the fridge at food wholesaler Polo S.p.A. in northern Italy. The experienced Italian solar installer Omnia Energy 3 srl has built a 367 kW solar system on various flat roofs at Polo´s Headquarters in Teolo, between Verona and Venice. Being equipped with Q CELLS’ 1.335 solar modules, the installations produce around 410 MWh of clean energy per year. Polo S.p.A. uses the solar electricity to power its logistics center and especially its unique frozen food service facility – a fully automated food logistics facility operated at a constant temperature of -25°C. By using 90% of the solar system´s electricity to operate its facilities, the food service provider for restaurants in northern Italy switches large parts of their energy consumption to self-produced and self-consumed solar energy. Thus, Polo S.p.A. responds to the challenge of environmental sustainability and increases its independence from rising electricity prices from the grid.

Yearly electricity savings of 72,000 Euro

The solar system´s payback period is estimated at less than four years, resulting in subsequent electricity cost savings of estimated 72,000 € per year. This consideration, as well as the fact that the modules’ performance guarantee and lifetime last up to 25 years and even beyond that, respectively, makes it apparent that PV systems not only help to improve the carbon footprint of companies in Italy, but also offer enormous economic saving potentials. One key to the attractive payback periods of Polo S.p.A. is to use high performance solar modules that provide strong yields over the system´s entire operation period. In order to achieve this, the modules´ performance in difficult conditions such as low light during dusk or dawn and in hot climates – for example, Italy – is an essential element.

Mr. Galdino Peruzzo, President of Polo S.p.A. said: “We are glad about having partnered with Omnia Energy 3 and Hanwha Q CELLS in realizing our photovoltaic installation. Moreover, we´re very happy with our initial experiences with operating the system. The Q CELLS’ solar modules truly deliver on their promises. Thus, the solar system is an important step for making our company´s energy setup fit for the future – and that goes both, in ecologic and in economic terms.” (HCN)