Solmatix has completed a significant solar PV and battery storage installation at Donegall Pass Community Centre in Belfast, supporting the transition towards more sustainable and energy-efficient public buildings.
The installation is comprised of a 30.015kWp rooftop solar PV system comprising 69 high-performance 435W panels, a hybrid inverter and integrated battery storage.
Designed, installed and commissioned by Solmatix, the system is expected to generate approximately 21,371kWh of renewable electricity annually, which is predicted to save the council £7,000 per year. The battery storage will allow more of the electricity generated on site to be retained and used by the centre when required.
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The project also includes enhanced monitoring technology, allowing the performance of individual panels to be tracked and helping the centre identify any maintenance or performance issues quickly.
The installation supports the wider direction set out in Belfast’s Net-Zero Carbon Roadmap and Local Area Energy Plan, which identify the decarbonisation of buildings and the development of a more resilient, affordable and low-carbon energy system as important priorities for the city.
Since the installation was completed earlier this year, Belfast City Council has reported that the community centre was effectively ‘off-grid’ for more than 80% of the time in the first 3 months of the project. The array is expected to help reduce carbon emissions by 13 tonnes of CO2e/KWh annually.
This project will be used as a pilot scheme to assess the viability of a move to rooftop solar for more buildings across the council estate.
Donegall Pass Community Centre provides facilities, activities and services for people and community organisations in the surrounding area. Completing the installation within an operational community facility required careful coordination between Solmatix, the centre management team and the other parties involved in the project.
Solmatix managed the technical design, equipment supply, rooftop installation, electrical works, battery integration, monitoring technology, testing and commissioning.
Neville Bell, Managing Director of Solmatix, said: “This project demonstrates how renewable energy investment can deliver practical, long-term benefits for important community facilities.
“The solar PV system will allow Donegall Pass Community Centre to generate a meaningful proportion of its electricity on site, while the battery storage helps the centre make better use of that renewable energy throughout its operating day.
“Our team worked closely with everyone involved to design and deliver a solution suited to the building and the way the centre operates. The installation combines solar generation, battery storage and detailed performance monitoring in one integrated system.
“Projects such as this show the important role public and community buildings can play in the transition to cleaner energy. We are proud to have delivered this investment at a centre which provides such valuable services to its local community.”
The rooftop array has been designed around the available south-facing roof area, with the 69 panels arranged to maximise renewable energy generation while meeting the technical and safety requirements of the building.
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A generation display has also been incorporated into the project, providing a visible way for centre users and visitors to see how much renewable electricity the system is producing. Additional controls will help the centre make productive use of available solar generation, while the monitoring system provides greater oversight of the performance of the installation.
The project adds to Solmatix’s growing portfolio of public sector, education, healthcare, commercial and community-based renewable energy installations across the UK and Ireland.
Established in 2008, Solmatix has completed more than 750 installations in the last three years alone, representing approximately 39MW of renewable energy capacity.
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