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Solar Power Plant on the Port of Koper Cargo Warehouses
Koper, Slovenia
In April 2024, the Port of Koper inaugurated one of the largest rooftop solar power plants in Slovenia. This 3.3 MW solar power plant features an aluminium mounting system, stainless steel cable trays with covers for cable distribution, and lightning protection – all from the Hermi brand.
3.3 MW PV power plant on the Port of Koper Cargo Warehouses with mounting structures, cable trays, and lightning protection by Hermi
The solar power plant spans approximately 15,000 square meters on the roofs of the general cargo warehouses in the port, with a total investment of €2.8 million.
Electricity consumption is high in logistics and port operations, and harnessing solar energy offers the opportunity to reduce energy costs and CO2 emissions. The project contractor, Slovenian company Riko, turned to Hermi for the selection of a suitable mounting structure, cabling system, and lightning protection.
Electricity consumption is high in logistics and port operations, and harnessing solar energy offers the opportunity to reduce energy costs and CO2 emissions. The project contractor, Slovenian company Riko, turned to Hermi for the selection of a suitable mounting structure, cabling system, and lightning protection.
Almost 16,300 Hermi SOL-N16-P mounting profiles were used for the installation of the solar power plant.
Hermi SOL-N16-P mounting system for profiled sheet metal roofing
The specificities of the environment had to be considered when planning this project. The location, climate, and condition of the existing roofing played a major role in deciding what the load-bearing structure should be on the metal roofing and how the cables should be routed. Due to the proximity to the sea and the possibility of salt corrosion, an aluminium support structure and stainless steel cable trays were chosen for the wiring of the electrical installations of the solar power plant.
The installation team used almost 16,300 Hermi SOL-N16-P mounting profiles (88000078) on the sheet metal roofing. These aluminium profiles are suitable for all trapezoidal wave dimensions and inclinations and are compatible with all PV module dimensions. The SOL-N16-P profile's characteristic of optimum offset from the roofing ensures adequate ventilation, module integration, and wiring of the electrical components. For roofing installation, the team used the PP SOL-N16-P attachment kit (88000426) to ensure system stability and watertightness. They fixed the PV modules to the mounting structure and interconnected them using Hermi SOL-S01C middle click clamps (88000661) and Hermi SOL-S02B end clamps (88000268).
The installation team used almost 16,300 Hermi SOL-N16-P mounting profiles (88000078) on the sheet metal roofing. These aluminium profiles are suitable for all trapezoidal wave dimensions and inclinations and are compatible with all PV module dimensions. The SOL-N16-P profile's characteristic of optimum offset from the roofing ensures adequate ventilation, module integration, and wiring of the electrical components. For roofing installation, the team used the PP SOL-N16-P attachment kit (88000426) to ensure system stability and watertightness. They fixed the PV modules to the mounting structure and interconnected them using Hermi SOL-S01C middle click clamps (88000661) and Hermi SOL-S02B end clamps (88000268).
The stainless steel 2- and 3-meter Hermi cable trays in the cargo warehouses of the Port of Koper have a total length of almost 3,000 meters.
Hermi stainless steel cable system protects electrical cables
Sun, salt, dust, rodents and other animals, weather conditions, and time all influence the lifespan of both the roofing and the solar power plant on it. The Koper Port warehouses' solar power plant includes several kilometres of interconnected electrical cables transmitting electricity from the photovoltaic modules to the electricity grid. The cables are usually laid in cable trays, which must be made of suitable materials, dimensions, and have adequate load-bearing capacity. Careful selection reduces the possibility of mechanical damage to the cables: damage to the insulation of the cables, mechanical loads (snow, wind), the presence of moisture, or damage caused by rodents. Coastal landscapes' salt and sun factors accelerate material degradation.
Electrical wires and cables are distributed using Hermi cable trays.
When it comes to electrical and other cabling, the company Riko chose custom-made stainless steel components for electrical and other cabling. The installation included almost 3 kilometres of Hermi cable trays—both standard trays with a bolting system and Hermi Fast Klick® cable trays with an innovative boltless interlocking system. The trays, with a height of 60 mm and lengths of 2 and 3 meters, vary in widths from 50 to 500 mm. The team closed the cable trays with stainless steel tray covers using PKP-SP3 cover clamps (88717795). They installed almost 1,500 cable tray covers. Among the products used are also stainless steel wall brackets NKP-SNT 210 (88704242) and NKP-SNT 410 (88704244).
Lightning protection for solar power plants
Because of their location, rooftop solar power plants are even more exposed to direct lightning strikes. Lightning protection is not only sensible; the Lightning Protection of Buildings Regulations in Slovenia also requires it. A short interruption of the electricity production of the solar power plant at the Port of Koper due to lightning, other mechanical damage, or possibly a fire that could destroy the plant would be unacceptable from a financial, operational, and environmental point of view.
The team installed a lightning protection system using products and materials suitable for sheet metal roofing, providing adequate protection for the building and the power plant. They installed almost 4,500 SON16 roof ridge fasteners (11621) on the sheet metal roofing. These fasteners allow quick attachment of the lightning conductor using a single-click fastening system. The fastener screws onto the roofing with just one screw, and the sealing rubber permanently seals the roofing to prevent water leakage. The fastener resists vibrations and pressures.
The team installed a lightning protection system using products and materials suitable for sheet metal roofing, providing adequate protection for the building and the power plant. They installed almost 4,500 SON16 roof ridge fasteners (11621) on the sheet metal roofing. These fasteners allow quick attachment of the lightning conductor using a single-click fastening system. The fastener screws onto the roofing with just one screw, and the sealing rubber permanently seals the roofing to prevent water leakage. The fastener resists vibrations and pressures.
There are around 100 Hermi air-termination rods on the roof, together with the corresponding attachment kits.
The installation used almost 4 kilometres of 8 mm diameter round aluminium lightning conductor AH1 (90250) for the catching system. The roof features around 100 Hermi LOP1.0 (300501) and LOP2.5 air-termination rods (300512), along with the corresponding fixing kits. The team used nearly 900 KON04 A SIMPLE clamps (50522) and 600 other Hermi clamps for the lightning protection system.
Almost 4,500 SON16 roof ridge fasteners and almost 900 KON04 A SIMPLE clamps were used for the lightning conductor distribution.
How to make earthing once the asphalt has been laid? It can be very time-consuming and inconvenient to intervene in the road surface, excavate, and lay the lightning conductor. For the earthing of the buildings and the solar power plant, the contractors used about 120 POS earthing rods (90711) and laid a stainless steel round lightning conductor with minimal intervention in the road surface. They used 1,300 meters of 10 mm RH5 round conductor to ensure corrosion resistance.
The power plant was made possible by the European project SOPOREM. This investment will reduce the Port of Koper's carbon footprint, ensure greater energy self-sufficiency for Slovenia's only cargo port, and reduce dependence on fluctuating electricity prices. In the coming years, additional power plants will be installed on the roofs of the container terminal building and other general cargo warehouses.
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