People’s use of solar energy, heating, lighting, getting efficiency from the soil dates back to ancient times. We can say that the first use of the sun as an energy and consciously dates back to 400 BC. By encouraging the houses to face sunny facades, it was preferred to benefit from heat and light. In the 1600s, with the invention of the lens, a different point was reached in the use of the sun. In 1725, the solar water pump was invented. In the 1850s, the steam engine was invented based on solar energy. In our country, studies started in the Middle East Technical University, Istanbul Technical University and Yıldız Technical University in the 1970s.
Before going into the decision to install and feasibility of solar energy panels in the industry, I would like to mention the issue of determining land suitable for solar energy in our country. The region that receives the most sunshine in our country is the Southeastern Anatolia Region. This region is followed by the Mediterranean Region. The Black Sea Region is the region that receives the least sunlight. It is obvious that more electricity will be produced and more energy will be sold than the investment to be made in the South East Region in the case of a solar power plant. However, the situation is very different when it comes to installing solar energy panels in residences, workplaces and factories. There are many parameters. Solar panels to be installed in the Black Sea Region / Western Black Sea Region also pay for themselves in a relatively short time, reduce your energy costs and enable you to make a profit by selling the excess energy to the state.
Our study is shaped for an investment that produces electricity in the western Black Sea region. There are different results in terms of benefiting from solar energy as a result of the services to be received from reliable solar companies for the aforementioned region and the results of the studies to be carried out using solar energy simulation programs. Geographical information systems and solar energy map bases processed in these programs are integrated with real roof or field images taken from satellite and evaluation is made.
In the studies, based on the maximum annual energy consumption of the factory, the transformer power is calculated to meet all of it from the sun. Solar energy data is taken into account in transformer investment for a newly established factory. In this case, for the factory in question, which is considered to have high electricity costs, it is revealed how many square meters of solar panels should be placed according to the roughly settlement made from the solar data in that region and the satellite photos of the factory land, and how much the roof surface should be in parallel with this. In this model, all of the factory roofs and some of the searchlights can be covered with panels. At this point, it is foreseen that an additional load of 15 kg per m2 will occur for the roof, excluding snow and other loads. Factory and roof static calculations are made according to this low load value.
On the other hand, in the model of placing a solar panel in a factory that is still operating and has a lot of electricity input, the maximum power systems to be installed for the roof are calculated according to the transformer power installed in the facility. According to this power to be established, it is determined how much of the annual energy need of the facility will be met. In case it is requested to meet the entire annual energy need of the facility, the stock areas, gardens and empty lands in different parts of the facility are used, apart from the roof. However, if the electricity consumption of the investment under investigation is not high, the panels to be placed on the roof will be sufficient to meet the entire energy need. I would like to open a parenthesis here and state that the systems installed on the ground work more efficiently.
As a result of the calculations, it is predicted that the investment will pay for itself in 4-5 years, except for the extraordinary fluctuations in annual energy consumption in an investment with high electricity consumption in the region in question. Amortization periods will change in parallel with the changes in monthly and annual energy consumption, and movements in electricity supply prices in the privatized electricity market will directly affect the feasibility of the investment.
Another issue that will add to the feasibility of the investment is the incentives given by the government. It is known that VAT incentives are introduced for solar energy investments made in Organized Industrial Zones that do not include electricity sales. If the investment is not within the borders of the OIZ, VAT exemption is provided at various rates according to the incentive order in the regions where investment incentives are given in Turkey.
Apart from this, in systems installed according to your own consumption without obtaining an energy seller’s license, excess electricity is purchased by the state if more production is made than consumed at the end of the month. This purchase price is calculated by subtracting ½ of the “Distribution Fee” from the “Active Energy Cost” in the invoice.
To explain a little more, the system works on the principle that the generated electricity is first stored in your own storage/solar energy cells and then delivered to the grid. If there is no load for your own use during the day, if your instantaneous draft is not high and your warehouse is full, the electricity goes to the grid. If it is revealed that you have produced more than you consume during the settlement at the end of the month, sales are made to the state according to certain regulations.
With the latest unlicensed electricity generation regulation, if non-energy sellers produce a maximum of 200 units for every 100 units of electricity consumption, the remaining 100 units are purchased by the state. In case of more production, it is taken free of charge by the state.
At this point, solar panel systems have different advantages;
- Due to the use of the sun, the transformers are not overloaded, and there are fewer malfunctions as a result of less load on the network. Due to the storage system, energy fluctuations are less.
- The panels on the roof also provide benefits against the heat in the summer and the cold in the winter due to the insulation effect.
- In addition to the contribution to be made to reduce the world’s carbon emissions due to the use of clean energy, it will cause a decrease in the carbon footprint, which is the carbon dioxide equivalent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities carried out by an individual, a country or an organization. With the use of green energy and renewable energy, both individuals and institutions will provide significant gains and returns in the field of nature, health and economy.
- By reducing the use of resources such as natural gas and coal, which we import to a great extent, it will be beneficial to close the country’s current account deficit.
- It is an investment that needs very little maintenance. It only requires cleaning at certain intervals.
- Investments pay for themselves within the specified periods and can be used for 25 years without any problems. Panel manufacturers generally give 25 years of production performance. (85% guarantee continues at the end of 25 years.)
To explain a little bit about the warranty given to the systems; In general, companies that manufacture solar energy equipment and installation companies give the performance guarantee of the system to their customers. Along with the weather station/small meteorology station that will be placed in the facility with the installation, instantaneous solar measurements are made during and after the 25-year panel warranty period. According to these measurements, while there is no difference between the solar values reported to the customer during feasibility and the solar values measured at any time during the operation of the system, if there is a decrease in the electrical energy obtained from the sun, the customer can make the necessary changes within the scope of the ongoing warranty. He can legally compensate for his loss. However, the company does not have any responsibility in case of a decrease in the electrical energy obtained due to major changes related to climate science, such as a change in the sun as a natural event, a decrease in its effect, a change in the angle of incidence of the rays.
At this point, if the investment is considered, a detailed exploration will be made by examining the static condition of the roofs, following the feasibility study to be carried out with our reliable solution partners. In the event that the solar power and investment cost to be released at the end of this exploration is decided, 3 months is foreseen for the required permit period and 6 months for the material supply and installation period.
Germany, which is located in a similar geography with the Black Sea geography, which is thought to be not very attractive in terms of sunny days and hours, and whose population is close to our country, is a very good example of solar energy. Before the pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war, Germany, which decided to exit nuclear energy and plans to close all nuclear power plants in the country until 2024, has solar energy, wind energy, etc. It is known that it decided to close this gap with renewable energy. It accelerated these investments after the Ukraine-Russia war. On the other hand, it is known that solar energy investments in England, which are similar to our Western Black Sea Region in terms of rainy and cloudy weather, are much higher than the investments in our country.
As a result, it is seen as an opportunity not to be missed for the south, southeast, middle and west regions of our country, where more efficiency is obtained from the sun, more power is produced and therefore the investment cost is lower.
In short, solar energy panels installed in the industry bring income like the factories built on the factories.