A Czech solar PV project with 5,400 modules was a challenge. I’ve already handled home solar PV myself, says Aleš Staněk of ŠKO-ENERGO

Škoda Auto, in cooperation with ŠKO-ENERGO and ČEZ Esco, installed thousands of solar PV modules on its production and logistics buildings in Mladá Boleslav. They are now operational and generating clean solar power. A key figure in the rooftop solar PV project was Aleš Staněk, a specialist in electrical, instrumentation and control projects in the Planning and Project Management department. He led the site inspection meetings and was responsible for ensuring that the project ran smoothly, that all parties involved worked together effectively, and that the work was completed to a high standard.

You’ve been working at ŠKO-ENERGO for more than 6 years, and you were put in charge of this project soon after joining. Was it something of a baptism of fire given the scale of the undertaking?

You could say the project lasted almost my entire career at ŠKO-ENERGO so far. It was not originally expected to take so long, but, as often happens with major construction projects, it was delayed for various reasons, whether because the designer changed or, for example, because subcontractors’ deliveries were held up. It’s the most challenging project I’ve ever worked on. I’m glad we completed it successfully. Škoda Auto began taking electricity from the panels in November 2023.

On the other hand, when things don’t go smoothly, you learn a lot…

Absolutely. I gained a lot of experience, deepened my knowledge and learned even more about communicating and working with suppliers and subcontractors. It built on the experience I gained in previous jobs, where I worked as an energy manager and was responsible for buying and selling energy, inspections and managing energy facilities. So rooftop solar PV is a subject I know very well. Electrical engineering is my education, my profession and my hobby.

I assume you have some kind of alternative energy source at home yourself, too. Solar PV, perhaps?

Yes, I’ve had solar PV installed on my roof for about two and a half years, and I can say that so far I’ve only seen benefits. I designed the system myself to keep annual electricity exports to the distribution grid as low as possible, and I’m essentially self-sufficient from spring to autumn. I generate more than half of my annual consumption myself. But I definitely wouldn’t recommend that anyone install a system like this themselves unless they have the relevant knowledge and training. Amateur installations cause house fires. It’s not just a matter of putting panels on the roof.

What else does it involve?

The basic component is the solar PV panel, which captures sunlight and generates electricity. But there are also a number of other components related to connecting the system to the distribution grid, or disconnecting it from the grid. The inverter is the heart of the system; it converts direct current into alternating current. There are also things like switchboards. In short, it’s not as simple as just putting a panel on the roof. And then you find yourself watching for the sun (laughs).

But one family home roof is a walk in the park compared with installing 5 400 solar PV modules on three rooftops at a car factory. How large a team attended the site inspection meetings?

In your view, is it important to continue installing rooftop solar PV, identify suitable buildings and keep carbon footprint optimisation in mind?

Definitely. I’m currently completing and commissioning solar PV systems at the water treatment plant at Bradlec (an industrial water treatment plant serving the Škoda Auto site in Mladá Boleslav) and on two rooftops at ŠKO-ENERGO’s site at Škoda Auto in Mladá Boleslav. We are currently designing a solar PV installation on Hall E14, where flexible panels weighing up to 5 kg/m² will be installed. It will be a pilot project on the roof of an older building where the structural assessment does not allow for conventional PV panels with mounting structures and concrete ballast, as is the case with many other buildings at the car factory. Although the solar PV systems on our company’s buildings are much smaller than those on the car factory’s rooftops, implementing them is much more complex because ŠKO-ENERGO itself is the investor. I’m also dealing with the grant for the project, which is no easy task either: preparing the right specifications, selecting a suitable supplier and then monitoring the quality of the work and the costs to ensure they comply with the grant conditions.

The development and use of rooftop solar PV across the car factory site will continue. The panels have a service life of 25 to 30 years, and I think this is the right way forward. The solar power plant project on 3 Škoda Auto buildings is the largest rooftop project I’ve ever seen. I think the car factory can serve as an inspiration to others in this respect. And I’m pleased that ŠKO-ENERGO is contributing its expertise.

Interested in working in the energy sector? Why not give ŠKO-ENERGO a try?

ŠKO-ENERGO is currently looking for new colleagues for these positions:

• Energy control systems specialist
• Energy efficiency specialist
• Electrical, low-voltage, instrumentation and control specialist