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Solar 101 – Basics and Project Planning

Published at October 12, 2021
by Robert Lydan
| Category: Company News, Insight

Solar 101

This presentation provides an overview of key concepts in relation to the planning, design as well as construction of ground-mount solar 101 projects intended for a non-technical audience.

Planning Key Principles

The best practice for the engineering of large capital projects involves a phased approach. Usually, it begins with Front End Engineering Design or FEED, also called Front End Loading. In fact, the work completed in each phase is just enough to allow making decisions to advance the project.

In each phase, uncertainty decreases and so does project risk. As uncertainty decreases, the precision of estimates improves (project yield, CAPEX, OPEX).

Moreover, a gate review is completed after each phase to determine whether to move forward to the next phase. Also, the gate review is linked to a spending decision.

Energy Storage

An energy storage system has both a Power rating (Watts) and an Energy rating (Watt-hours or Wh). In particular, multiples types of energy storage might be appropriate for the same application. In order to select and optimize the energy storage device, first, you need to develop specifications.

Consider the following: Stakeholder objectives, System requirements, Load/generation profile, Costs (capital + operational) vs benefits. You should also pay attention to Operational requirements, Replacement frequency, Technology risk as well as Environmental risk.

Phoventus is an Engineering firm with a global reputation for excellence in power systems engineering. Canadian Power Engineers is the newest member of the family and a wholly-owned division of Phovetus Inc. Our Mission is to provide an unparalleled technical focus on the core issues affecting the ownership, reliability, and profitability of power and energy projects. We are a driven, passionate team. Our value is our insight into the latest technology and approaches needed to deliver our client’s projects on time and within budget. Renewable Power Specialist.

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