Tata Power Solar has commissioned India’s first-of-its-kind vertical solar farm with a capacity of 120 kW. The farm, which was installed on a 45 metre structure at Dell India’s Bengaluru campus, produces sustainable green energy and insulates the building, thereby reducing power consumption significantly. The solar farm, conceptualised by Dell, produces sufficient energy to power its entire cafeteria and basement parking.
The unique design of the vertical solar farm required significant innovation and customisation of structures, load bearing characteristics and anchorage. Tata Power Solar provided 480 modules integrated into the structure with the help of a specially designed scaffolding. For optimised plant performance, the vertical structure was designed with a 30 degree moving tilt to better enable maintenance.
The south-facing vertical solar farm was a complex project, as it needed to be integrated on the facade of the building without compromising on the aesthetics. With this project, Tata Power Solar has forayed into vertical solar structures. This has the potential to transform urban energy management, utilising much less land, which is at a premium in cities. Through the project, Dell has achieved Green Building Platinum LEED certification, although the plant has been built at almost four times the capacity required to qualify for it.
