Oslo housing company invests in PV project

OBOS Group is a Norwegian housing co-op association that began operating in 1929 in Oslo to offer housing development at a time when it was difficult to get bank financing for the average worker. Since then, OBOS has grown to over 450 000 co-op members and the company manages approximately 220 000 dwellings in Norway.

Environmental building regulations have been getting stricter and the members of OBOS have a growing interest in more environmental solutions, such as lowering carbon emissions, local production of energy and higher energy efficiency.

As part of what they call green responsibility (#grøntansvar), OBOS is pursuing green initiatives and offering sustainable energy solutions for their customers in order to face the upcoming climate change challenges.

OBOS initiated the 1.29 MW PV solar pilot project, in order to gain experience with PV rooftop plants and suppliers. The long term goal after gaining experience with PV was to potentially roll out similar measures on other buildings or housing companies in Norway that wanted to install solar modules on their own roofs.

Fortum Oslo Varme hired Multiconsult AS, an energy consulting company to complete an initial study. Once complete, Fortum Oslo Varme delivered and installed OBOS' installations. The OBOS properties that were outfitted with 7400 square m of solar modules included 3 shopping centres, 2 office buildings and a hospital.

In total, the PV project has a goal to produce 1 000 000 kWh of renewable solar power per year and actual production for 2019 will come in close, around 90-92% of the target due to below average months of solar irradiation in the fall and winter. The solar power produced will cover the energy consumption of around 80 average Oslo apartments this year, and will be used locally as much as possible.

In the building industry it is estimated that 40% of CO₂ outgassing globally is from the manufacturing of building materials and in the operation of buildings.

OBOS has recognised this and has taken steps to become greener to address climate change with their own green buildings and clean energy sources. Green buildings are essential to reducing carbon but also have economic benefits. They show higher energy-efficiency levels and the operational expenses will decrease by reducing the unnecessary waste. If solar PV is employed on the rooftop, all of the internal power loads are fed by locally produced renewable energy, reducing operating costs and reducing the carbon footprint.

Delta was proud to be a supplier of the inverters for the OBOS project and support the distribution of more PV capacity in Norway.

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/solar/20122019/oslo-housing-company-invests-in-pv-project/