A cold storage facility has the highest energy demand when the sun is shining
Why is it particularly smart to install solar panels on a cold storage facility? Well, a cold storage facility has its highest energy consumption during the warm summer months – which coincides with when solar panels produce the most solar power! On a hot, sunny summer day, a lot of energy is needed to keep the cold intact, and on these days, the solar power system at Dagab’s cold storage facility in Backa, Gothenburg, can produce as much as 20 percent of the electricity demand. This is one of the reasons why Axfood has reviewed its cold storage facilities across Sweden, following this one, which was their first solar power investment. While many other businesses see reduced operations during the summer, there’s no such downtime when storing refrigerated goods for Willys, Hemköp, and Tempo stores in southern and western Sweden.
The system installed by Alstra Energy consists of 407 solar panels and produces 87,000 kilowatt-hours per year, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of five medium-sized homes.
Facts about the solar power system
Location: Gothenburg
Client: Axfood
Size: 250 kW
Year: 2013
