CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskThe case for solar PV, what the installation involves, and the ongoing maintenance obligations.
Care homes are large electricity consumers -- typically 150,000-400,000 kWh per year. A rooftop solar PV system sized to the roof area and electrical demand can meaningfully reduce daytime electricity costs. With commercial electricity prices above 25p/kWh, a 50kWp system generating 45,000 kWh/year represents a gross saving of around 11,000/year. Payback periods of 6-10 years are realistic for commercial care home installations.
Solar panels on most commercial buildings are permitted development, but listed buildings, buildings in conservation areas, and some flat-roofed commercial buildings require planning consent. Check with the local planning authority before proceeding. Pre-application advice is usually available quickly and inexpensively.
Before installation, commission a structural survey of the roof to confirm it can carry the additional load of panels, frames and cables. Flat roofs in particular may require additional structural assessment. The solar installer should provide a loading calculation for the roof structure engineer to assess.
Solar PV systems present a fire risk during the hours of daylight -- when the panels generate DC electricity, the DC cabling between the panels and the inverter cannot be isolated by simply switching off the inverter or the AC isolator. The FRA should be updated to include solar PV. Provide the fire and rescue service with a drawing showing panel locations and the location of DC isolation points.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.