Who would have thought that in the 21st century, we would face an energy crisis whose end is still not in sight, which has caused trouble to even the most developed economies in the world? It is clear that there is no time to wait – industries, households, and public energy companies must turn to renewable energy sources as soon as possible and ensure energy independence and stability as well as survival in times of crisis like this.
Every kilowatt of green energy, whether a few solar panels on the roof of a house or large solar farms, leads us closer to the goal that by 2040, the share of renewable energy sources in the energy mix of Serbia will be 40 percent. The domestic company MT-KOMEX, which is soon celebrating its thirtieth birthday, greatly contributes to the energy transition goals. They help citizens and companies step into the world of solar energy, start producing electricity themselves, and significantly reduce electricity bills.
MT-KOMEX has many satisfied customers whose roofs and estates are now equipped with solar panels from renowned global manufacturers. The list of locations is expanding every day, and we will try to present what the whole process looks like in practice.
Construction in two phases for over one megawatt of solar energy
For example, the last solar power plant completed by MT-KOMEX was built in two phases, the first with a capacity of 490 kW and the second with 600 kW. The construction of the first phase was preceded by a careful assessment of radiation on the horizontal plane, which ensured optimal conditions for the construction of the plant, as well as a thorough analysis of the roof. The new 490 kW of solar capacity will provide the investor with 596,700 kWh of green electricity per year. The return of the invested 330,000 euros is expected in six and a half years, and the cost for the maintenance of the solar power plant will be 500 euros per year. And that’s not all; the mentioned investment will provide benefits to the client of the company MT-KOMEX and the entire society, since the CO2 savings will amount to 477,360 kg per year.
In focus:
An engineer at MT-KOMEX, Ivan Kićanović, explained that every construction site brings new challenges that need attention, but that a well-coordinated team solves all obstacles in the shortest possible time and with the best results.
“In this particular case, well-arranged roof surfaces were a mitigating circumstance for installing photovoltaic panels themselves, while a slightly longer DC and AC distribution was performed without major problems. The power plant was built and put into operation before the scheduled deadline, so we can certainly say that we have met the client’s expectations”, says Kićanović.
The second phase of stronger capacity was built within the same power plant but on a facility that is slightly away from the facility where the first phase was built. For an additional 600 kW of the solar power plant, 454,223 euros have been invested, and the expected annual production will be 751,093 kWh. The maintenance costs here are 500 euros a year, while the return on investment is expected in about six years. The second phase of the solar power plant brings benefits in the form of annual CO2 savings of 600,639 kg.
Equipment is important
MT-KOMEX takes care to carefully select the solar panels and all the accompanying equipment of the solar power plant to maximize the solar potential of the facility.
Every power plant is different, and in the specific case mentioned, MT-KOMEX engineers opted for 1,458 single-crystal Canadian Solar Half-Cells 370W solar panels for the first phase and 1,632 Luxor Solar single-crystal solar panels LX410M/182-108+(410W) for the second phase. For both phases, Fronius inverters, AC distribution cabinets, a monitoring system and “Smart meter” smart meters were used as additional indispensable equipment that makes this solar power plant maximally efficient.
When maximum attention is paid to every detail of the solar power plant, the result will follow: “According to the client, and according to the monitoring system which shows that the power plant produces electricity greatly, we can proudly confirm that the client is satisfied. In addition, he has already recommended us to new clients”, says Kićanović.
He adds that over 80 solar power plants built by MT-KOMEX will soon be joined by another in Novi Sad. With a power of 1,140 kW, the power plant is in the final phase of construction. When it is put into operation, its production will contribute to saving a total of 1,020 tons of CO2 , our interlocutor explains. Firmly believing in a sunny future, MT-KOMEX continuously builds solar power plants diligently, thus building a future with no air pollution and electricity shortages. Over 100 satisfied customers and more than 20 MW of installed capacity of solar power plants speak for themselves, and this seems to be just the beginning for the MT-KOMEX expert team.
Prepared by: Milena Maglovski
Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.
