In 2023 (April 2022 – March 2023), India added ~13 GW of solar capacity, including utility-scale, rooftop, and off-grid solar. Rooftop solar saw a 1.2% surge from FY 2022, with ~2.3GW added across India. Of this, approximately 30 % of installations on flat roofs are spread across government institutions, commercial spaces and residential installations.
EPCs across India commonly use penetrative mounting solutions where structures are fixed using foundation bolts directly on roofs or on concrete blocks ensuring stability. However, it necessitates careful sealing to prevent water leakage and requires slight removal of the roof’s waterproofing layer to create concrete pedestals.
Alternatively, Aerocompact provides its signature non-penetrative COMPACTFLAT solutions. Using weighted blocks or concrete blocks, this method secures solar panels without roof penetration. Ideal for flat RCC roofs, where waterproofing layers are present or penetrating the roof isn’t feasible and also for roofs with low point loads that require load distribution.
The COMPACTFLAT solution of Aerocompact provides installers with the flexibility of choosing the size & weight of concrete blocks, in turn reducing the civil work on the roofs.
Systems designed with COMPACTFLAT solution are highly scalable, flexible to install, durable and low on maintenance.
Both the S & S+ series are UL 2703 certified and have been wind tunnel tested to ensure suitability across wind loads & snow loads globally, enabling Aerocompact to provide a 25-year warranty on the product (10-year warranty on steel components).
For each case, Aerocompact prepares a structural report on its proprietary software AEROTOOL, effectively showcasing wind loads applicable on roof, counter-weight distribution on the layout and sliding & uplift loads against each panel
The COMPACTFLAT solutions are now available for supply in India –
- S SERIES – South facing Ballaste Structures at 5°,10° and 15°
- S+ SERIES – East West facing Ballasted Structures at 10°
As an internal study, Aerocompact prepared layouts on the same roof comparing capacities with S10 & S10+ products to evaluate shadow analysis & annual generation
Layout with S10, with shadow analysis, Total Capacity – 69.85KWp.
Layout with S10+, with shadow analysis, Total Capacity – 84.7KWp
The approximate outputs observed by Aerocompact India are as follows –
| Parameters | S10 | S10+ |
| DC KWp Capacity | 69.85 kW | 84.7 kW |
| Roof Area | 851.1 sq.m | 851.1 sq.m |
| PV Array Area | 411.85 sq.m | 440.54 sq.m |
| P50 Generation (Kwh/ Year) | 90,320 | 106,284 |
| Total Dead Load (Kg/m²) | 37.28 Kg/m² | 15.37 Kg/m² |
For optimal solar energy production, S10 or south-mounted solar structures are usually preferred. However, as observed in the above study, S10+ or east-west oriented structures can also provide greater annual generation due to increased capacity on the shadow-free roof area.
Brief Comparison of S10 & S10+ structures: –
| Feature | South-mounted solar structures | East-west solar structures |
| Sunlight exposure | Most sunlight throughout the day | Sunlight throughout the day, less than south-facing |
| Electricity production | Higher per panel | Lower per panel |
| Installation complexity | Simpler to design and install | More complex |
| Best use cases | South-facing roofs or grounds | Non-south-facing sites, cost-sensitive areas, high wind loads |
Renowned globally, the COMPACTFLAT installations are more than 1 GW and have stood tall in testing times over the past 7-8 years with multiple installations across IKEA stores in Europe, Changi Airport in Singapore and many more.
