Solar Panels for Data Centres

Solar panels are an obvious choice for data centres, providing clean, cheaper electricity and powering facilities that consume large amounts of electricity each day. Solar PV systems with solar batteries offer additional benefits: you can provide cheaper electricity by storing off-peak solar power to meet times of exceptional demand, and emergency power systems (EPS) provide auxiliary power in blackouts and brownouts to maintain power to your data centre. If you do not have solar panels and have unused roof space, it’s a huge opportunity to generate your own clean electricity.

SolarSense works with data centres, telecoms and IT facilities to provide solar PV solutions, providing design, installation, maintenance and servicing. We also offer solar carport design and installation for parking spaces at your facility, with EV charging points available if required.

Utilise unused roofspace to generate secure and low-cost electricity

Data centres use vast amounts of electricity, and electricity is in constant demand. Because your facility must run 24/7, you must have reliable power sources. You also have exceptionally high electricity usage, so investments in energy-saving measures are highly effective and provide some of the fastest returns on investment for solar in any sector. If you have unused roof space, solar panels are a huge opportunity for you. Solar panels effectively lock in your energy costs, reducing your dependence on major energy suppliers. Once you have recovered your investment, you are effectively generating your own clean, free electricity for your data centre.

Increase the sustainability of your data centre

Solar-generated electricity is the cleanest source of electricity on the planet. Hence, investing in solar has the added benefit of reducing your overall environmental impact whilst making immediate savings on your energy bills. Data centres, IT, and telecommunications are industries with a growing demand for green incentives. Solar panels are a fantastic investment for sustainability that also increases your bottom line.

Solar battery storage systems & solar batteries for data centres

Solar battery storage is a fantastic addition to solar PV systems, creating a fully comprehensive system. We can also retroactively install solar batteries/solar battery storage for existing solar PV systems. Solar batteries can store electricity generated by your solar panels for later use or be charged from grid electricity in off-peak times to meet demand. They are essential for data centres as you require a consistent supply of electricity at all times of the day.

Solar carports and EV charging for your facility

Solar carports are a practical solution for your data centre to generate additional revenue, generate on-site renewable energy, reduce operational costs, and enhance sustainability without using extra land. You can transform existing parking spaces into spaces that shield vehicles from the elements, and you can also choose to provide EV charging within the carport structure. You can choose whether to charge visitors and/or staff for use of the amenities.

What are the best ways to fund your solar panel installation?

Power purchase agreements (PPAs) are among the most popular ways to finance solar panel installations. In a PPA, a 3rd party is responsible for any costs associated with installation and maintenance/aftercare of the solar PV system. You then purchase the electricity at an agreed rate. The main benefits are that you don’t pay any upfront costs and lock in your energy prices.

Funding your solar panels yourself, either through finance or CapEx, is the other most popular way to fund your solar panel installation. As data centres use a large amount of electricity each year and run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you will see immediate savings and fast returns on investment from installing solar panels, depending on the size of your system and the number of panels installed. This provides a quick return, generating free electricity for your business.

Solar as a service provides clean energy, no upfront costs and immediate savings on energy bills. No capital expenditure is required, and you will receive immediate savings. We provide a fully managed system with an end-to-end service, including monitoring and servicing. Lock in stable pricing, protect against energy market volatility, and simplify long-term budget planning.

Is my data centre suitable for a solar PV installation?

If you have unobstructed roofspace, then your building is appropriate for solar panel installation. Solar panels can be installed on pitched roofs and on flat roofs if there are no obstructions that would prevent installation. If your roof is in poor condition or needs repairs, you will need to arrange repairs before solar panels can be installed. It is dangerous to install solar panels on roofs that may collapse due to their added weight. We can install your solar panel system while roof repairs are taking place. Solar panels are best installed on south-facing roofs, but can also be installed on east- and west-facing roofs. North-facing roofs are not suitable for solar panel installation, as the system won’t be efficient enough to justify the cost of installation.