Harnessing the Sun: revolutionizing the industrial sector with solar-powered roofs

Abstract

ABSTRACT The industrial sector is one of the main energy consumers in the developed world, accounting in the case of Europe for over 20% of the total consumed energy. Especially in countries of high solar potential, like the case of southern Europe, industrial roofs offer an alternative for the production of green energy, with the use of photovoltaic (PV) technology, considered to be one of the most mature applications at this time point. This work examines the capacity of industrial roofs to meet part of the energy needs of the industrial sector with PV installations. Specifically, in the context of this work, GIS techniques were utilized to quantify the total solar potential of industrial roofs, as well as their capacity for energy production. Technical, environmental, and economic indicators related to the processing of the findings of the work, as well as the definition of a policy framework, are extracted and discussed. The object of the work was the energy system of a southern island state of the European Union, the Republic of Cyprus, where all the conditions for a favorable framework for the promotion of industrial solar roofs are met. The study reveals that photovoltaic (PV) installations on Cyprus’s industrial roofs have the potential to generate 443.2 GWh annually, meeting 19% of the industrial sector’s energy needs, and reducing CO2 emissions by over 250 k tons per year, highlighting a substantial opportunity for decarbonization and economic investment in renewable energy. This study aspires to provide food for thought, for future work that will be implemented in this context, enabling the establishment of industrial roofs as a potential contributor to policies for adapting to the energy requirements of the era. The novelty of this research lies in its utilization of GIS techniques to quantify the solar potential and energy production capacity of industrial roofs, specifically in the context of the Republic of Cyprus, thereby contributing to the development of a policy framework for leveraging industrial solar roofs in energy strategies.