Overview
Urban environments in Nigeria—like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt—present a unique set of challenges for solar installations: limited rooftop space, shading from nearby structures, and complex roof shapes. Jeho Ashar Energy has developed a suite of intelligent mounting and layout solutions to maximize energy yield even under these constraints.
Challenges in Urban Rooftop Solar Installations
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Small or irregularly shaped roofs reduce available panel space.
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Tall buildings, trees, water tanks, and antennas cause partial shading.
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Flat roofs vs. pitched roofs demand different tilt and drainage strategies.
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Rooftops may not be structurally designed to handle heavy loads.
Jeho Ashar Energy’s Urban Rooftop Solutions
🧭 7.1 Space-Optimized Mounting Layouts
- Uses landscape orientation and compact rail systems to fit more panels on limited roof area.
- Designs panel arrays to contour around obstructions like HVAC units or skylights.
- Offers east-west bifacial tilt mounts that allow two-sided light capture in tight areas.
🌳 7.2 Shade-Resilient System Design
- Incorporates module-level power electronics (MLPE) like microinverters or optimizers to isolate shading impact.
- Custom rail angles are calculated using solar simulation software to minimize shading losses from nearby objects.
- Systems can include adjustable tilt brackets to redirect panels away from shaded zones.
🏠 7.3 Lightweight, Non-Invasive Mounting
- Jeho Ashar’s aluminum and fiber-reinforced plastic structures are light enough for older or non-reinforced roofs.
- Mounts are designed to avoid roof drilling where possible, using ballast or adhesive systems to prevent leaks.
📐 7.4 Pitched & Flat Roof Versatility
- For pitched roofs, Jeho Ashar uses flush-mount racking systems that integrate tightly with roofing materials.
- For flat roofs, tilt-leg structures are used to achieve proper panel orientation without wasting space.
Project Example: Lagos Island Urban Clinic
A 12kW system installed by Jeho Ashar on a narrow, L-shaped rooftop included:
- Custom corner-fitting rail brackets
- Microinverters to handle partial shading from nearby buildings
- Lightweight mounts that avoided drilling through a water-damaged ceiling
Result: The clinic achieved 80% of its daytime energy needs through solar, despite less-than-ideal rooftop conditions.
- Benefits to Urban Clients
Improved ROI per square meter of rooftop space
- Reliable energy even with partial shading or small installations
- Faster approvals for installation due to non-invasive mounting options
- Increased aesthetic and architectural compatibility
