• 120-module, 54kW solar array is forecast to produce 58,000kWh annually – enough to power six homes for a year
• SolarEdge DC-Optimized technology chosen to overcome shading from neighboring buildings for maximum energy production, making the vertical solar array possible

24^th October 2022 – Tenants of one of the largest office buildings in Shorewood, WI, can look forward to a reduction in their annual energy bills following the completion of an innovative 83ft vertical solar array on the side of the seven-story building. The installer, Wisconsin-based Arch Solar, chose SolarEdge’s DC-optimized technology for the project to overcome inherent design challenges to vertical solar arrays and to realize the vision of the building owner, Dominion Properties, to transform the brick wall into a valuable asset. Now operational, the solar array is forecast to produce approximately 58,000kWh annually – equivalent to the annual energy use of six homes.

“Solar represents a huge market opportunity for commercial office locations,” explains Mike O’Connor, Co-Founder, Dominion Properties. “Being an office building – where typical working hours are when the most energy is used – a proportion of the building’s energy will come from solar. This means our tenants can enjoy savings on their energy bills, particularly important today as the cost of energy continues to skyrocket. This project is the first of many, and we hope that it will encourage other developers to make use of otherwise wasted space on high-rise buildings by embracing solar as a clean, cost-saving energy source.”

The 54kW installation features 120 solar modules secured using masonry anchors in an array 83ft high by 23ft wide, as well as three SolarEdge Inverters with Synergy Technology and SolarEdge Power Optimizers which are attached to the modules to maximize the performance of each module in the array. Producing a vertical solar array of this kind – in a populated area with shading from neighboring buildings – represented a significant challenge. SolarEdge’s DC-Optimized technology provided the design flexibility and unique module placement required for vertical installs, ensuring maximum power generation was not compromised.

JD Smith, Head of Business Development at Arch Solar, says: “This far North in Milwaukee, the ideal installation for modules is at a 23° angle for maximum sun exposure and to help snow clear. However, for wall installations such as the vertical high-rise array with Dominion Properties, this is a more complex challenge, as the modules need to be mounted at a 90° angle. If you don’t want to lose power efficiency, then really SolarEdge’s inverters and Power Optimizers are the only choice. For Dominion Properties, maximizing power generation to ensure maximum savings for tenants was a non-negotiable, so having access to this technology is what made this project possible.”

Smith continues: “An added advantage of using SolarEdge is having the option to oversize the Synergy inverters by up to 200%. This will enable Dominion Properties to add more modules to the array in the future should energy demand increase without having to invest in new equipment.”

Due to the central location of the office building, ensuring the safety of the solar system is paramount for both on-site staff and passing pedestrians. Industry-leading built-in safety features within the SolarEdge inverters include arc fault detection, temperature sensors in the AC/DC terminal blocks, and SolarEdge’s SafeDC^TM function, which automatically reduces the voltage in each solar module to a touch-safe level to enable safe roof access for maintenance teams or firefighters.

“As an installer, safety is always front of mind when it comes to installations for customers – even more so in this case given the central locality of this building,” continues Smith. “Solar inverter technology has made huge strides in this area in recent years, particularly with stricter regulations coming into place. It’s fair to say SolarEdge technology and safety go hand in hand, with some really innovative features to mitigate risk and validated by the relevant certification, which is always helpful in assuring customers.”