Hey folks! I'm diving into a project where I plan to install solar panels on the roof of my large 5,000+ sq ft building to charge electric golf carts. As a Chemical Engineer, I have a reasonable technical foundation, but I'm kind of new to solar setups. The building has a flat roof and is located in a sunny region of Asia, so I'm optimistic about solar efficiency compared to places like London.
My initial calculations suggest that I can fit about 265 solar panels, each rated at 400W, totaling 106 kW of power. With around 6.1 hours of peak sunlight, that could generate about 646.6 kWh per day. Each lead-acid golf cart battery needs about 1.33 kWh to charge, meaning I could charge approximately 486 batteries daily.
However, I'm a bit confused. Even though the daily energy output looks promising, the limitation comes from the charge rate. Based on a c/10 rate, I can charge about 883 batteries at a time, but only to about 61% since I only have those 6.1 hours of sun. I'm also only looking to charge a few batteries fully each day, as I don't have enough space for many carts.
Should I consider battery storage options? And is this project feasible, considering the expenses versus potential earnings of about 1.5 USD per battery charged? Any insights into the complexity of setting this up would be super helpful!
2 Answers
The load on your roof is crucial. As you're using a steel reinforced concrete structure, it should generally handle that weight, but check with a structural engineer to be safe. If you're planning on installing that many panels, you'll want to make sure everything is up to snuff to avoid future issues!
This sounds like a cool project! It's definitely commercial-sized, which usually means a bit more complexity, but it's manageable. Just remember to consider the ballast system to ensure the roof can handle the weight of those panels. It might be a good idea to make structural assessments before proceeding, just to be cautious!