COVER I STORY
EVEN AS TOTAL SOLAR GENERATION moves toward a projected 75GW in North America alone by 2015, market realities are forcing operators to redouble their efforts to create new efficiencies in their technology and processes. As subsidies decline, renewables portfolio standards-driven demand weakens in areas, and customers negotiate lower power purchasing agreements, the solar industry is looking for opportunities to reduce operations and maintenance (O&M) costs and, where possible, extend the life of plant assets.
For most operators, smarter O&M starts with continuous system monitoring, with real-time data driving critical decision-making and analytics. While new plants are monitored from day one, there has also been an increase in retrofits of older plants, both to comply with new regulations or to get one or more data streams flowing to developers, operators, and investors.
Traditionally, operators relied on wired monitoring systems installed during construction. These systems require infrastructure (cabling and power) and, like all other assets, create their own O&M challenges. As plants get both larger and more distributed, the cost of this monitoring becomes a larger and larger cost centre.
The wireless advantage As a pioneer in M2M connectivity, Synapse Wireless was able to approach PV monitoring differently from the start, building a wireless monitoring solution based on our SNAP technology. The lessons we learned in solve solar operator challenges would also inform the meaningful M2M innovation we were also bringing to global leaders in manufacturing, lighting, healthcare, and other verticals.
The autonomous mesh network design of the SNAP OS, combined with the long range and low power requirements of the SNAP modules, made it an ideal choice for a PV monitoring solution. Working with Shoals Technologies, Synapse began to build a portfolio of specialized SNAP solutions targeted directly at the needs of PV operators, owners, and EPC partners.
Synapse leveraged expertise gained through experience in diversified market verticals to develop solutions that optimize operations costs and performance by providing real-time performance information to the owner, EPC, or O&M manager. Synapse products are uniquely suited to provide life cycle management capabilities for managing solar assets from construction to cash flow, delivering key benefits during install and going forward.
Smarter, faster commissioning
The renewed focus on efficiency makes it increasingly important to optimize all aspects of the solar plant lifecycle. Real-time granular data provided to the developer and EPC drives faster time to resolution of critical issues discovered during site commissioning. Solving problems quickly reduces operational
and contingency costs, and real-time data acquisition improves project oversight and ensures efficient use of construction and commissioning hours to maximize the velocity to revenue.
Simpler, more reliable support
Once sites have been commissioned, Synapse solutions provide O&M and asset management teams with the information needed to make intelligent decisions that optimize allocation of repair and maintenance hours, ensuring peak production of the solar asset. Intelligent management of the velocity of installation and operational efficiency helps create sustainable margins as the market matures and energy pricing competition increases.
Longer distances, lower costs Wireless monitoring also helps reduce the cost of managing the commission of large plants as well as the trend towards smaller distributed sites located strategically closer to customers or to lessen environmental impact, making a powerful stream of 24/7 data easier to build and cheaper to maintain. Lower costs and disruptions
The cabling and trenching required to install traditional wired monitoring is no small expense. Eliminating the time and labor required to get this monitoring up before and during commissioning, simplifies processes, and lets you focus closely on the task at hand: careful, precise, efficient commissioning and operations.
SNAPshot partnership Synapse’s solar solutions include SNAPshot, a velocity monitoring tool that can be used during commissioning to provide early warning on faults and errors. Developed in partnership with Shoals Technologies, SNAPshot is installed with Shoals Smart Combiner and Recombiner boxes.
The choice of Shoals Technologies as a strategic partner was important for both Synapse and Shoals Technologies, giving operators and EPC instant access to critical real-time data and the advantages it brings.
“Snapshot’s Velocity Monitoring tool is connected from the initial order of solar field installation. SNAPshot enables the Shoals optimized field layout to upload information to a software package so that, from the first day of construction until the solar field is complete, we have the ability to monitor the velocity of the installation. From there SNAPshot becomes an OEM tool.” Dean Solon, CEO of Shoals Technologies.
Synapse Wireless is an exclusive technology partner with Shoals Technologies balance of systems (BOS) solutions, working with leading solar developers and EPC organizations to understand their business and technical challenges and creating solutions that match. The SNAPshot solution represents an important step forward for both companies and the industry, making the Internet of Things a very real advantage for solar stakeholders.
Issue IV 2014 I
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