Photo reportage of the installation of the AURORA solar power plant
The AURORA solar power plant is currently undergoing installation on the rooftop areas of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, which is one of the 26 members of the University of Ljubljana.
The AURORA solar power plant is broadly divided into four main sections or four separate buildings—components of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, referred to as Roofs A, B, C, and D. In addition to the significant differences between the various rooftop areas, the individual roofs (A, B, C, and D) are also not uniform. For example, Roof D has three horizontal levels (terraces), while Roof C features six different slopes. The roofing materials vary greatly, including copper, bituminous coverings, and gravel.
The physical work required to install the solar power plant on the various rooftop areas of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of Ljubljana commenced on 4 July 2024. The first step involved removing an existing 14-year-old solar power plant from Roof D. This was a 4.6 kW test plant that is still in very good working order. To precisely measure its degradation over 14 years, all panels were tested using a flasher. We were more than satisfied with the results, as the level of degradation was minimal. This old solar power plant will continue to be used and will be relocated nearby to a lower rooftop terrace on Roof D.
The following day, we delivered the panels for the new AURORA solar power plant to the cleared area on Roof D.
The installation of the solar power plant on roof D was completed in just two days.
We then proceeded to Roof C. On the first day, 26th of July, all the necessary materials were transferred to the roof.
Roof C features a highly varied copper surface covering the largest lecture hall. During the days of installation of the solar power plant on Roof C, the temperature in Ljubljana reached up to 35°C. The installation on roof C was completed before the end of July.
All day installation of the east side of the solar power plant on roof C was summarised in a short video.
Regarding the AURORA solar power plant, it is worth noting another distinctive feature. For research purposes, we decided to utilise a wide variety of inverters, including both traditional and micro-inverters from different manufacturers. As for the photovoltaic panels, we opted for uniform panels across the entire installation rather than diversifying. The reason for not maximising diversification in this aspect is that the Faculty of Electrical Engineering already has a large photovoltaic testing facility on its roof, where we have been testing a wide range of different photovoltaic panels in natural conditions for years.
Now that the installation of the AURORA solar power plant on roofs D and C is complete, we are awaiting connection to the grid.
What about the solar power plant on roofs A and B? Here, the situation is slightly different from that on roofs C and D. In the case of roofs A and B, it has become apparent that a fire safety assessment is required. This assessment is being prepared by an authorised external contractor, and until its completion, the contractor for the AURORA solar power plant must wait before proceeding with the work on roofs A and B.
To be continued …
