Warehouses and logistics parks represent one of the most compelling solar opportunities in the Indian market — large, flat rooftops, high electricity consumption (lighting, HVAC, material handling), and a business model that makes energy predictability financially valuable. This case study describes ARIA Green Energy's 750 kW installation at a major third-party logistics (3PL) park in Patancheru, near Hyderabad.
Project Background
A 3PL logistics company operating a 1.8 lakh sq ft warehousing facility in Patancheru Industrial Area approached ARIA Green Energy with a clear brief: reduce their ₹18 lakh monthly electricity bill without compromising 24/7 operational reliability. The facility operates across three shifts and handles cold-chain and ambient storage for FMCG clients — with strict service level agreements on uptime.
Site Assessment and System Design
ARIA's engineering team conducted a detailed site survey covering: rooftop structural assessment (including dead load capacity calculation per IS 875 Part 1), shadow analysis using drone LiDAR mapping, load profile analysis from 12 months of TSSPDCL meter data, and PVsyst yield simulation. Key findings: 1.2 lakh sq ft of usable rooftop (after excluding HVAC equipment areas, skylights, and structural columns); structural capacity confirmed for 15 kg/m² dead load with additional 1.25 kPa wind load per IS 875 Part 3 for Hyderabad wind zone. System specification: 750 kW with 545 W mono PERC panels, ballasted mounting structure (non-penetrating on profile sheet roofing), 5 × 150 kW string inverters. Total EPC cost: ₹3.15 crore.
Net Metering and DISCOM Connection
The facility operates on TSSPDCL's HT-1 tariff. ARIA submitted the net metering application under the HT net metering provisions. The TSSPDCL feeder assessment approved the full 750 kW capacity. An HT interface panel with bidirectional smart metering was installed, and TSSPDCL commissioned the net metering connection in Week 9 of the project — within timeline. Monthly generation: approximately 10.8 lakh units per year (8.5% above PVsyst's P50 estimate in Year 1).
Financial Results — 18 Months Post-Commissioning
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Generation (Yr 1) | 10.8 lakh kWh |
| Self-Consumption Ratio | 78% (3-shift operation) |
| Annual Grid Bill Saving | ₹65.4 lakh |
| AD Tax Benefit (Year 1) | ₹31.5 lakh |
| Simple Payback | ~3.3 years |
| 25-yr IRR | ~24% |
Key Design Learnings
Three design decisions significantly improved this project's outcomes. First, the use of a ballasted (non-penetrating) mounting system on the corrugated profile sheet roof eliminated waterproofing risk — a major concern for a cold-chain warehouse. Second, string inverter topology (rather than a central inverter) allowed for independent MPPT optimisation across the East, West, and flat roof sections — improving annual generation by approximately 4%. Third, the Nextra AI monitoring system flagged a partial soiling event on the East roof section in Month 3, enabling targeted cleaning that recovered approximately 3% generation — equivalent to ₹2 lakh in annual savings that would have gone undetected with a less granular monitoring system.
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