A 500 kW (0.5 MW) plant is a common screening size for mid-scale factories with meaningful daytime load and available roof. Exact fit still depends on transformer capacity, policy pathway, and bill profile—not a round number alone.
Roof and electrical envelope
Rule-of-thumb area needs vary with module wattage and layout, but industrial designs must reserve walkways, fire access, and equipment clearances. Electrical design must respect LT panel capacity, cable lengths, and protection coordination.
Generation and savings
Annual generation is site-specific. Use measured irradiance assumptions, soiling, and downtime—not brochure CUF alone. Savings should be modeled against your tariff slabs and self-consumption ratio. Screen with the ROI calculator, then validate on survey.
Cost drivers at 500 kW
- Module and inverter tier for industrial duty
- Structure for PEB vs RCC roofs
- AC evacuation distance and transformer interfaces
- Monitoring and documentation depth for audits
See industrial rooftop solar and industrial solar EPC for delivery context.
When to add storage
If demand charges or evening loads dominate, pair solar with BESS. Peak shaving may deliver more bill impact than adding unused AC capacity.
Next step
Contact Rolling Energy with 12 months of bills and a roof sketch for a structured 500 kW screening.
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