Commercial storage: Solar energy for a publisher

07/24/2018 | Print view

Swing the modules ob the rooftop - © SWS — © SWS

Swing the modules ob the rooftop

Right in the heart of western Stuttgart, Gentner Publishers have realised an ambitious project for self-generating electricity. It demonstrates clearly that self-generation is viable even – and even more so – in inner cities.

Gentner Publishers are a well-renowned company with several successful decades under its belt. Featuring specialist publications aimed at heating engineers or refrigeration technicians, energy consultants or glass experts, this company from Swabia is one of the leading specialist publishers in Germany. Photovoltaik and PV Europe are also among the publications in their portfolio.

Let us do it!

Now, writing and publishing on the energy transition is one thing. Taking an active part in it, is quite another. That is why in 2016 the management decided to use the upcoming renovation of the building in Stuttgart to challenge themselves to use the available space for self-generating electricity.

Planned and built just one year

Within one year, they were able to implement this model project that (so far) has no equal in Stuttgart. The general contractor was the municipal utility of Stuttgart. The installation was planned and built by the experienced installation company Novatech from Wolpertshausen. “It turned out to be quite difficult to find an installing company here in the area around Stuttgart,” Stefan Ronzani recalls. He was head project manager at the Stuttgart municipal utility. “Not so much for the roof-top arrays, but because of the façade and the large-scale storage unit. Even here in Stuttgart, this was uncharted territory for many installing companies, something they were quite uncertain about.”

Solar modules by Heckert Solar

A total of 202 Heckert Solar panels by (NeMo 60P 265W) were installed. 25 monocrystalline panels (NeMo 60M 275 black) were used to cover an unshaded south-facing façade. A canopy roof was also covered in solar panels. Two Mennekes wall boxes (Amtron Xtra11) utilise the solar power to charge electric vehicles. A number of members of staff are already taking advantage of this. A total of 55 kilowatts of solar capacity were installed.

Inverters in the former print shop

The building that used to house the printing machines is now the warehouse for the printed magazines. As of very recently, the place is also humming with the inverters from SMA (Sunny Tripower for the solar generators and Sunny Island for the storage battery, itself an IBC SolStore 39Li L3).

Supplied by IBC Solar from Franconia, it has a gross storage capacity of almost 39 kilowatt hours. Why IBC? They have a reputation for providing high-quality products. And monitoring the solar strings and the batteries should be done through a single portal rather than two separate ones.

Install inverters and batteries at one place

Furthermore, they were able to install the complete power electronics in the same one place as the batteries. There the person in charge can always keep an eye on it, and it can easily be accessed and viewed by visitors. Gentner Publishers and the Stuttgart utilities are keen to use the installation to promote the energy transition among companies in the region and for built-up areas. (HS)

What was new at the Intersolar 2018 in Munich? Watch our expert’s movies here:
http://www.pveurope.eu/Videos/pv-Guided-Tours-videos-2018

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