Advanced Green Technologies completed of one Florida’s largest rooftop solar installations at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando. The 2.2-MWDC system more than doubles the center’s solar energy production while maintaining the same rooftop footprint.
Advanced Green Technologies removed an existing solar project on the roof of the Orange County Convention Center and built another array in the same footprint that doubled the building’s solar output. Credit: Orange County Convention Center
The installation supports the Convention Center’s LEED Gold certification and sustainability strategy while powering daily operations at the convention center. The OCCC sees approximately 2.4 million attendees annually.
“When we started in the solar business nearly 20 years ago, the original installation was something of a holy grail at that time — a project we all looked up to. To come in all these years later, tear it out and reinstall something over double its original capacity was a full-circle moment for us,” said Clinton Sockman, executive VP at Advanced Green Technologies. “To now deliver one of the largest rooftop solar projects in Florida, while working around a packed event calendar, is a true milestone for commercial solar in our state.”
Advanced Roofing handled the commercial roofing aspect of the project, which required coordination to execute within an occupied, fully operational building.
The rooftop solar array installed across multiple roof zones using Hanwha Q CELLS
modules and SolarEdge inverters with power optimizers.
“This project exemplifies how smart solar technology can help large facilities operate more efficiently while advancing meaningful sustainability goals,” said Charles Ellis, VP of sales, CC&I at SolarEdge. “We’re proud to support the Orange County Convention Center in demonstrating how large-scale venues can integrate innovative clean energy solutions without disrupting operations.”
As part of an infrastructure upgrade, the Orange County Convention Center replaced its aging rooftop and original solar panels. Rather than sending thousands of still-functional modules to a landfill, the 5,800 panels were redistributed with help from nonprofit IDEAS For Us to more than 120 residents, businesses and nonprofit organizations.
“Upgrading our rooftop solar array was never just about improving the facility. It was about giving back to the community, reducing our environmental footprint, and continuing to lead by example,” said Mark Tester, OCCC executive director. “This project reinforces our commitment to sustainability not only in the state of Florida, but across the global convention industry. We’re proud to demonstrate how large-scale
public venues can operate responsibly while delivering meaningful impact to the people they serve.”
News item from Advanced Green Technologies
This is a solid example of how much commercial solar has evolved over the last decade. Doubling capacity within the same rooftop footprint really shows the impact of higher-efficiency modules and better system design, especially when paired with optimizers and modern inverters.
The coordination aspect is also underrated here — upgrading a system on an active facility like a convention center without disrupting operations is not easy. That kind of execution is just as important as the technology itself.
Also interesting to see the reuse of existing panels instead of sending them to landfill. That kind of approach adds a practical layer to sustainability beyond just energy generation.