1.4 MWp in seven weeks without stopping a warehouse

Sergio Lozano is Luxsolaris branch manager for Madrid Centre.

When Logística Quintanar asked us to build their system in Getafe, they had one condition: the warehouse couldn't stop for a minute. About 300 trucks a day use its docks, and its cold rooms hold fresh produce for half of central Spain.

The challenge

• 26,000 m² of sandwich-panel roof.
• 2,780 modules at 28 kg each.
• No cranes at the docks during operating hours.
• Cold rooms under a third of the roof: no excessive vibration, no drilling.

How we did it

Lifting at night. All module and structure lifting happened between 22:00 and 5:00, with a crane on the north façade, the only one without docks. Daytime was for roof assembly only.

Flush structure, no drilling. We clamped onto the sheet ribs without piercing the panel. The waterproofing stayed intact, and so did the roof manufacturer's warranty.

Two crews, four zones. The roof was split into four zones with independent lifelines, each with its own access point and rescue plan. Two crews were never in the same zone.

Shutdowns on Sundays. Connection to the main switchboard took place on two Sundays, with the client present and a rollback plan.

What we learned

• Count the skylights twice. The drone map showed 212. On the roof we found 219: seven were painted the same colour as the sheet.
• Wind is the boss. We lost five days to gusts above 40 km/h. With 2.2 m² modules, there's no negotiating.
• Warehouse staff want to know. On day two we put up a progress board in the canteen. Drivers checked it every morning.

The result

Seven weeks on site, zero hours of downtime, zero accidents. The system produces about 2,070 MWh a year and the client pays 31% less for energy without investing a euro.