How Be-Volt relies on archelios to design large-scale solar projects
Design office
Since 2017, Be-Volt has been developing tailor-made photovoltaic projects for professionals. Specialising in solar canopies, this young company has been able to structure a solid technical and financial offer thanks to an ecosystem of rigorous tools. At the heart of their success is the Archelios software range, which allows them to combine precision, advanced modelling and performance. In this article we showcase a technical partnership working towards joint sustainable goals.
An innovative company at the energy transition’s service
Founded in 2017, Be-Volt is a dynamic French company, entirely dedicated to renewable energies. Its core business: the design of photovoltaic power plants, with a specialization in solar canopies on parking lots and commercial roofs.
The company only works with professionals: supermarkets, shopping centres, real estate and industrial entities. Each project is between 100 and 500 kWp, with ambitions that climb quickly: some plants can reach several megawatts.
A virtuous hybrid model
If Be-Volt is experiencing strong growth, it is also thanks to an original business model. The company is carrying out its own projects in partnership with two major investors: Altens and Heliospark, which together inject up to 120 million euros per year.
“The idea is not just to sell studies. We rent unused roofs or car parks, we design the power plants then we finance, install and operate them,” explains Pierre Jordan Djatchan. The electricity is then partially sold back to the owner of the site, and the surplus is injected into the grid via the EDF purchase obligation mechanism.
This win-win system offers all parties tangible value: rent for landlords, competitively priced green energy and return on investment for financers.
The archelios range: a strategic lever for industrialising design
To guarantee the technical and economic viability of its projects, Be-Volt relies on a base of high-performance tools, among which the archelios range plays a central role.
The workflow is well established: pre-analysis with Optiwise to check the potential profitability, import of the environment and 3D modeling of the building in SketchUp (via the archelios plug-in), then passage through archelios PRO to refine the simulation and generate reports.
“What we appreciate most is the precision. There is very little difference between the expected results and the actual production when the parameters are well configured. It’s reassuring, especially on complex projects,” says Pierre Jordan Djatchan.
An emblematic project: Netto, a complex 162 kWp installation
Among the many projects studied with archelios PRO, the Netto supermarket stands out for its complexity. Located in a dense urban environment, the site had many shaded areas: trees, neighbouring buildings, inclination and orientation constraints.
As a research engineer at Be-Volt, Pierre Jordan Djatchan comments:
“It was a real headache. We had to juggle between aesthetics, performance and feasibility. archelios PRO allowed us to manage module by module, identifying which ones to keep or remove. At the end of the year, we reach a performance ratio of 86.5%, despite all the constraints.»
This would not have been possible without archelios PRO’s advanced shading simulation and optimisation features. This performance is praised by the end customer, but also by the internal teams, who see it as a security guarantee and a major time saver.
An XXL project: a 2 MWp multi-media power plant
Another striking example is a photovoltaic power plant of nearly 2 MWp, combining shading, roofs and a ground-mounted power plant. A titanic project, where every surface has been exploited.
A natural adoption, without compulsory training
Although the team has never received formal training, learning to use archelios PRO was simple.
“You just need to know photovoltaics well. The software is intuitive. I learned by exploring and with the help of Trace Software’s technical support team who are always very responsive”, specifies Pierre Jordan Djatchan.
Human and technical collaboration
Beyond technology, Pierre Jordan Djatchan insists on the quality of the relationships with the Trace Software teams. “Whether it’s during webinars, exchanges on LinkedIn or support requests, we are always well accompanied.”
Regular updates, in line with regulatory changes, are also seen as a sign of software maturity. “That’s what keeps us at the top. Good software is also software that evolves. »
Conclusion: shared ambitions
Be-Volt’s experience shows how a well-integrated solution, such as the archelios range, can accelerate the design of complex solar projects, ensuring rigor, performance and scalability.
Beyond the numbers, it’s a common vision of sustainable innovation and technical excellence that links Be-Volt and Trace Software. A solar alliance in every sense of the word turned towards a more sustainable future.
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