There is no doubt that the photovoltaic industry has boomed in the last couple of years. Global solar photovoltaic capacity has grown from around five gigawatts in 2005 to a little under 140 gigawatts in 2013. This is enough to power over 45 million European households for a year – and is the equivalent of the electricity produced by 32 large coal power plants, according to the European Photovoltaic Industry Association.
And the trend is far from levelling off. By the end of 2015, global solar capacity is expected to reach more than 200 gigawatts, with China set to lead the way.
Malta has likewise seen demand grow, thanks to various government schemes. There were 2,700 applications for solar water heaters through a scheme launched in 2012, according to the Malta Resources Authority, while various PV schemes attracted some 12,000 applications.
Unfortunately, this rapid growth means that consumers have not yet had time to fully come to grips with either the environmental or technological options.
Ryan Xuereb, the managing director of Econetique, is an evangelist for alternative energy – particularly wind and solar – but he is also concerned that apart from many professional firms, there are unfortunately a few opportunists.
“The professionals are the companies which value the client and future business first and foremost. Hence, they engineer the system where all the components and the installation are of the highest quality. Opportunists jump on the bandwagon with the main aim of selling as many systems as possible with the biggest margin possible.
“Unfortunately it is quite difficult for the end consumer to get his/her head around the technicalities of a PV installation. What happens is that most of the time the company with the best marketing prevails. Unfortunately, this does not always translate to the best quality, performance and longevity,” he said.
He believes that the need to safeguard standards applies at a national – not only domestic or industrial – level, particularly since government funds are being provided to subsidise installations.
It is important not only to ensure the safety of the installation but also to maximise the potential power generation from the system
“It is important not only to ensure the safety of the installation, but also to maximise the potential power generation from the system. Funds should be utilised to install the best system, fulfilling the optimal potential of the roof space available, for the longest period of time,” Mr Xuereb said.
Clearly, the way to achieve the best outcome is to incorporate plans for alternative energy as early as possible in the design – and to future proof the installation.
George Bugeja, the manager of Panta Lesco’s renewable energy division, stressed that clients’ energy requirements change over time.
“Our technical team’s biggest challenge is to understand the diverse requirements of each client before recommending a suitable way forward.
Being involved in the project right from the start allows us to come up with a customised design for renewable energy which meets the client’s current needs – but which can also grow with changing requirements over time,” he said.
Requirements change for a variety of reasons relating to demand, but also because clients realise the benefits of producing their own energy
“Fortunately, the introduction of new technologies gives us increasing options for retrospective installations. Retrofitting a solution which was not identified at the design stage is a challenge, but technologies such as micro-inverters and smart modules can yield sufficient energy, even from areas of low production,” Mr Bugeja said.
The facility manager and the energy auditing engineer should work together from the planning stage until the commissioning stage. And they need to take a holistic view
The director of Energy Management Solutions Ltd, Jean Paul Micallef, recommends an energy audit as the ideal way to start, saying that this should not be seen as a one-time report but as an ongoing relationship.
“The facility manager and the energy auditing engineer should work together from the planning stage until the commissioning stage. And they need to take a holistic view,” he advised.
“We need to understand how the facility operates through effective communication and follow-up at the facility, using a bottom up approach, during which management has to involve all subordinates.”
The savings resulting from an energy audit can be substantial. However, he said that apart from being cost effective and delivering a high return on investment, EMS reported even better indirect returns.
“I recall a case study which resulted in dramatic savings in energy consumption at a factory of around 50-60 per cent, but it also made the environment much more comfortable for operators, who in turn delivered better results in the quality control section,” he said.
Energy audits come up with options for various direct replacement technologies, such as solar panels, solar thermal heating, LED lighting and building management systems. Mr Micallef warned that these alone may not give optimal savings as there may be limiting factors such as roof space or limitations in the grid connection.
“The obvious quick win – if you have abundant roof space with solar exposure throughout the year – is to invest in a quality photovoltaic plant. Don’t forget that the investment is for a period of 20-30 years, so the products selected, from panel and frame to inverters, must give a good performance and must offer reliable technology that delivers immediate product support and flexibility over its lifetime.
“In practice if you have a failed inverter and your system stops producing, how long are you ready to wait for a replacement? Today, thanks to competition, you can even limit your risk by selecting products that effectively communicate with the facility owner should a fault arise on a particular panel.
“Apart from this, the manufacturers we deal with have in place customer support software that allows diagnosis of the fault and effective solutions are delivered within a few hours from detection.”