Saltburn Golf Club Solar — Part 1

Full Installation Walkthrough

Part one of our Saltburn Golf Club commercial solar installation documents the first phase of a significant project that demonstrates the growing adoption of solar energy by sports and leisure facilities across the North East. Saltburn Golf Club approached ALPS Electrical after recognising that their substantial electricity bills, driven by the clubhouse, greenkeeping facilities and irrigation systems, could be significantly reduced through solar generation.

Commercial solar installations differ from residential projects in several important ways, and this video provides insight into the additional considerations that come with working on larger buildings with higher energy demands. The initial site survey involved a detailed assessment of the clubhouse roof, including structural load calculations to confirm the building could safely support the additional weight of 56 solar panels and their mounting infrastructure.

The system design specified 56 JA Solar panels paired with a 30KW Solis commercial inverter, delivering a total system capacity of 31.6KW. This is substantially larger than a typical residential installation and was sized to match the daytime electricity consumption profile of the golf club, which peaks during opening hours when the clubhouse kitchen, bar, lighting, heating and ventilation systems are all operational.

The Solis 30KW inverter was selected for its proven reliability in commercial applications, its high conversion efficiency and its comprehensive monitoring capabilities. The three-phase connection at the golf club allowed us to use a single large inverter rather than multiple smaller units, simplifying the installation and reducing ongoing maintenance requirements.

Scaffolding and roof access presented unique challenges on this project. The clubhouse has a large flat roof section and a pitched roof section, and the panel array was designed to span both areas. The flat roof panels required a ballasted mounting system with weighted frames that hold the panels at an optimal tilt angle without penetrating the roof membrane, while the pitched roof section used a conventional rail and clamp system similar to residential installations but on a much larger scale.

Our installation team worked in sections, completing one area of the roof before moving scaffolding and equipment to the next. Health and safety management on a commercial project requires formal risk assessments, method statements, daily briefings and close coordination with the golf club management to ensure that installation activities did not interfere with club operations or pose any risk to members and visitors using the facilities.

The 56 panels were installed over the course of three working days on the roof, with the team achieving an efficient workflow that maintained both speed and quality. Each panel was tested and visually inspected before being secured in its final position, and the string wiring was meticulously organised using cable trays and UV-resistant ties to ensure a clean, professional installation that will withstand decades of exposure to the North East weather.

The DC cabling from the roof was routed internally through the building to the plant room where the Solis inverter would be installed. Commercial buildings often provide more convenient cable routing options than residential properties because they have service risers, cable trays and plant rooms designed for housing building services equipment. We took advantage of existing cable routes where possible and installed new containment where necessary, ensuring all cable runs were clearly labelled with solar circuit identification tags.

Part one of this series concludes with all 56 panels installed and wired on the roof, the inverter location prepared in the plant room, and the DC cabling terminated ready for connection to the inverter. The scale of this installation is immediately apparent when you see the finished roof array from ground level, with over 31KW of solar capacity covering a significant portion of the clubhouse roof.

Commercial solar installations offer compelling financial returns for businesses and organisations. The golf club will benefit from reduced electricity bills immediately, with the solar generation directly offsetting their daytime grid import. Additionally, commercial solar installations qualify for Capital Allowances, allowing the golf club to offset the cost of the system against their taxable profits. We provided the club with a detailed financial analysis showing the projected annual savings, payback period and twenty-five year return on investment as part of our proposal.

Part two of this series covers the electrical installation, inverter commissioning, monitoring setup and the projected impact of the system on the golf clubs energy costs and carbon footprint.