The next time you visit Victoria Square, look beyond the shop windows and the famous dome. Above the bustle of shoppers, restaurants and retailers, a new solar installation is putting the centre’s rooftop to work.
Northern Ireland renewables company Solmatix has completed a 150-panel solar PV installation at the Belfast shopping and leisure destination, helping it generate its own electricity and reduce reliance on power purchased from the grid.
The 72.75kWp system is expected to produce approximately 51,071kWh of renewable electricity each year, helping to power Victoria Square’s common services.
Solmatix has completed one of its most high-profile projects yet(Image: Solmatix)
It represents the first phase of the landlord’s multi-year renewable energy plan and an investment in the future of one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.
It also brings a practical question into focus for other businesses: could the space above your head help reduce the costs beneath it?
Victoria Square's solar PV installation is expected to be a valuable asset for the centre(Image: Solmatix)
For many organisations, the roof is simply part of the building. Yet, with the right solar PV installation, suitable rooftop space can become an asset that generates electricity for use below.
Shops, offices, warehouses and manufacturing facilities all need power to operate. Generating some of that electricity on site can reduce the amount a business needs to buy from the grid, helping lower running costs and improve energy efficiency.
The opportunity is particularly relevant where daytime electricity demand overlaps with solar generation. Instead of buying every unit of power, a business can use electricity generated on its own roof.
However, a good commercial solar project starts with understanding the business, rather than simply filling the available space with panels.
Roof condition, structural suitability, electricity consumption, operating hours and grid requirements all help determine the right approach. The financial case will also depend on installation costs, tariffs and how much of the electricity generated can be used on site.
Solmatix works with businesses to assess those factors and design a system around their premises and energy needs, with support through installation and ongoing maintenance.
The work was carried out "safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption"(Image: Solmatix)
At Victoria Square, delivering the project involved much more than installing panels.
Working in the heart of Belfast required detailed planning around retailers, visitors, deliveries and surrounding traffic. Solmatix managed the process from system design and the grid application through to installation, testing and commissioning.
The team coordinated approvals, permits, traffic management and temporary road to crane lift equipment onto the roof from Chichester Street.
Crane operations and associated installation activity took place during the early hours and outside the centre’s principal trading periods, helping minimise disruption.
Niki Alderdice, Director and Head of Project and Building Consultancy in Belfast at Lambert Smith Hampton, said: “This represents a significant investment in the future of Victoria Square and an important first step in the landlord’s longer-term plans for carbon reduction at the centre.”
He added that Solmatix worked closely with all parties to deliver the installation “safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption”.
For business owners considering solar, the project demonstrates how careful planning can help renewable energy installations fit around the demands of an operational building.
Installation on top of Victoria Square(Image: Solmatix)
Victoria Square is part of a much wider Solmatix story across Belfast city centre and beyond:
Together, these projects show how renewable energy can become part of the places we use every day, often without us noticing.
As you work, travel, explore and shop, rooftops across Belfast are already doing more.
Solmatix operates throughout the UK and Ireland
Established in 2008, Solmatix designs, installs and maintains commercial and residential renewable energy systems across the UK and Ireland.
The same starting question applies whether you manage a commercial property or own a home: what could your roof do for you?
With a system designed around your building and electricity needs, suitable rooftop space could help reduce purchased electricity and give you greater control over how you power your premises.
Discover what is possible for your business or home at solmatix.com. Make your roof work for you.
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