Case Study
341-Panel Solar PV Removal and Reinstatement in Cornwall
Project Details:
Client Name: Pentire Farm
Industry: Agricultural / Commercial
Location: Cornwall
Project Completion: June 2026
341
Solar Panels Removed and Reinstated
K2
New Roof-Compatible Mounting System
MCS
Accredited Installation
About the Project
Pentire Farm in Cornwall had an existing solar PV installation that had been generating electricity reliably for a number of years. The farm roof beneath the array had reached end of life and required full replacement with new fibre cement sheeting following storm damage. With 341 solar panels mounted across two arrays on the roof, the roofing works could not proceed without a coordinated removal programme.
M&E Contrax was engaged to plan and carry out the removal, controlled storage, and full reinstatement of the PV arrays around the roofing programme, including supplying a new roof-compatible mounting system for reinstatement on the new fibre cement covering.
What They Needed to Solve
The existing solar installation restricted access to the roof, which needed to be stripped back to the structure for the new fibre cement sheets to be laid. Simply removing the panels was straightforward enough in isolation, but the project involved several overlapping challenges that required careful planning.
The existing hanger bolts and rail mounting system were fixed into the roof covering that was being replaced. The new fibre cement roof would require a fresh mounting system specified and installed specifically for that roof type. The 308-panel main array needed to be fully removed and stored safely on site during the roofing programme before being reinstated, and 33 panels on a secondary area needed to be temporarily moved to allow roofing access, then put back. Throughout all of this, the panels themselves, being the client’s existing solar investment, needed to be handled and stored without damage.
Services Provided:
Technical survey and detailed works planning ahead of roofing programme
Safe temporary removal and reinstatement of 22 modules on Array 1 for local roofing access
Full removal and controlled storage of 308-panel main array on Array 2
Removal of existing mounting rails and hanger bolts from roof structure
Coordination of telehandler access for safe panel transfer between roof and ground
Palletised panel handling, moving up to 28 modules per pallet
Supply of new K2 hanger bolt and single rail mounting system
Installation of new K2 system into timber roof substructure
Full reinstatement of 308-panel array onto completed fibre cement roof
DC electrical reconnection of all arrays
System recommissioning and testing
Programme coordination with roofing contractor throughout works
What was the solution?
A staged removal and reinstatement plan was developed around the roofing programme from the outset. The approach split the work into two distinct phases, managing each array independently to keep the project moving in sequence with the roofers.
The 22 modules on the first area were removed as required to give the roofing team access to that section of the roof, and reinstated once the new sheets were in place in that zone. This allowed the roofing team to work across the roof in sections without the whole array needing to come down at once for that area.
The 308-panel main array was removed in full. Pallets were used to handle the modules efficiently, moving up to 28 panels at a time with telehandler support. This allowed panels to be transferred safely from roof to ground-level storage and then back up again for reinstatement, without the handling risks that come from carrying individual panels down ladders or scaffolding by hand. Panels were stored on site throughout.
Once the new fibre cement roof sheets were installed and the roofers had completed their programme, M&E Contrax fixed the new K2 hanger bolt system into the timber substructure of the new roof. The K2 system was specified for compatibility with the fibre cement covering to ensure a weathertight and structurally sound mounting arrangement. The rails were then fixed to the hangers and the 308 panels were returned to their planned positions across the array.
On completion of the mechanical reinstatement, the DC electrical connections were made and the full system was recommissioned and tested to confirm all circuits were operational and generating correctly.
What was the result?
The roof replacement at Pentire Farm was completed with the solar PV investment fully protected throughout. The approach meant the roofing programme could proceed without any compromise to the panels, and the new fibre cement roof was installed without the existing hanger bolt fixings becoming an obstacle or a source of weathertightness issues.
The farm’s solar array was reinstated using a new mounting system fully compatible with the replacement roof covering. The system was electrically reconnected, recommissioned, and tested, returning the full 341-panel array to generation. The programme planning allowed approximately four to five days for the removal phase and ten to eleven days for reinstatement, supporting an orderly and efficient handover between the solar and roofing teams throughout the project.
By managing the removal, storage, and reinstatement as a single coordinated programme, Pentire Farm retained its existing solar investment without damage to any panels and without any requirement to source replacement equipment.
Planning a Solar Panel Removal or Reinstatement?
If you have an existing solar PV installation that needs to come down temporarily for roofing, building, or maintenance work, M&E Contrax can plan and manage the full removal, storage, and reinstatement programme.
We are MCS-accredited and NICEIC-approved, and we carry out commercial and agricultural solar work across Devon, Cornwall, and the South West.
* These are estimated figures based on the system lifespan.
