Solar systems and solar farms are becoming much more prevalent as the shift to renewable sources of energy gain traction. The requirements of carrying the power from solar panels to inverters, combiner boxes and other infrastructure need much the same cabling and workmanship as any traditional source of power.
This means solar systems, farms and any other kind of renewable energy source need accurately marked cables as much as any other kind of electrical system. Considering this, we’re perfectly placed and able to improve the efficiencies of these systems just as we do with our other clients.
Recent work with a solar client got us thinking more broadly about what we do and its impact on the environment when working alongside renewable energy sources & providers …
By improving efficiencies in the work carried out in renewable energy facilities, we’re doing more than just making the businesses who operate them more profitable, we are further reducing the load on the environment.
How? Here’s some examples that may not be immediately obvious …
Materials and Waste
Stainless steel and plastic are our most used materials. Put simply, they’re what our cable markers, core markers and labels are made from. To be real though, they’re not “sustainable” materials as such, although they can be recycled when they have served their original purpose.
The idea here is that we produce one set of labels or markers, correctly indexed and delivered in a secure sleeve that then makes it very difficult for installers or staff in any capacity to misplace, damage or lose the markers and labels we deliver. A large project may require thousands of cable markers and labels in its lifetime, and with an inefficient delivery method, they could lose hundreds of those during their processes.
This ultimately means more material needs to be used to generate new markers – waste. And on top of having to replace the material, repackaging and the shipping environmental impacts then need to be considered.
We have also aimed to make sure our packaging materials are either reusable items or landfill biodegradable plastics. Our cable marker sleeves have been uniquely designed and are rugged enough to be re-used. The folders they are sent in are also easily repurposed for general office use. The plastic protective sleeving and even the plastic mailers we use for shipping are landfill biodegradable plastics.
Man hours impacting other factors
Taking the above into consideration, we could go a step further.
If we’re producing more material due to errors on the job site and markers being misplaced, then our team and the team working on site are working longer hours. This is also the same if a less efficient system of installation is being used. This translates into power use at the office or jobsite, additional travel time and emissions if the location needs to be revisited to finish and install. They may seem minor, but when compounded over time there is certainly an impact.
We’re not saying our process is saving the environment, rather we’ve used this article as a place for us (you included) to consider our own contribution to the way renewable energy sources can have even more impact on the sustainability of our environment.
If you’d like more information on cable markers for solar or renewable energy sources or would like to discuss how our project packaging can make a difference to you and your business, get in touch and lets chat or you can call our team on: (07) 5534 2983
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