Austria's largest PV roof project has gone into operation on the 85,000-square-meter site roofs of Steyr Automotive. The ~7.5 MWp system was installed using the Schletter FixGrid and ClampFit systems. Schletter Group were once again working with the energy supplier Burgenland Energie on this project.

"A rooftop system of this size is not only an important milestone for the operator, but also for Austria as a PV location," said Fabian Madl, Key Account Manager at Schletter Group. "At the same time, we as a business are further consolidating our good position in a very dynamic Austrian market." The record-breaking system is located on the factory roofs of the automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturer Steyr Automotive in the Upper Austrian town of Steyr. In future, the company will cover around a quarter of its energy requirements with the solar power generated here. By comparison, this corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of around 2200 households—and a saving of around 2500 tonnes of CO2 per year.

As the system extends over several of the factory’s roofs, various solar mounting systems and solutions from Schletter were used. The modules were mounted on the flat roof surfaces using the FixGrid system. Thanks to improved aerodynamics, the system requires less ballasting. At the same time, the Schletter developers have further optimized the system to make it more modular.  "The FixGrid modular system makes the planning and installation of systems much more flexible," explained Stephan Wild, Head of Sales for Roof Systems in Austria at Schletter Group. "Thanks to its quick and easy installation, the system is also particularly economical."

On the pitched roof surfaces, the modules were mounted directly onto the trapezoidal metal sheeting using the SingleFix and ClampFit clamps. Schletter seam clamps were also used in some areas where the roof sheets were joined with standing seams.  "It was important for the customer that the entire project could be planned and implemented from a single source, despite some very challenging roof constructions and pitches," says Wild. "We had the right solution for every situation thanks to our comprehensive product range."

The roof system in Steyr is, in fact, the second record-breaking project in Austria for the Schletter Group. The company is currently supplying Austria's largest ground-mounted PV system, also in cooperation with Burgenland Energie. The plant in Nickelsdorf, near the Hungarian border, is currently under construction, and will generate a total of 116 MWp of environmentally friendly solar power once completed.