SWITCH ON THE SUN
Presented by: Refex Energy Limited.
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MANAGING
UNCERTAINTY IN EPC
2nd Annual Conference
SOLAR MARKET IN INDIA 2013
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Flow of Presentation
• About Refex Energy .
• Lifecycle of EPC
• Risk Involved at Various Stages
• EPC of a Solar Power Project
• Case Study – 5 MW SPP
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Refex Energy Limited
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Refex Energy Limited
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Refex Energy Limited
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AN EPC CONTRACT TYPICALLY HAVE
• Scope and the specifications of the plant
• Quality
• Project duration
• Cost
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PROJECTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUCCEED IF
• Defines guarantees well
• Defines scope and quality very carefully
• Defines milestones meticulously
• Defines LD/penalty clauses
• Makes payment terms very specific
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RISK ASSOCIATED WITH EPC
Policies
Commissioning
Construction
Engineering
Procurement
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ENGINEERING RISK
• Basic Design
1. Lack of attention to Local Design Requirement
2. Design Failure
3. Change in Project specifications .
• Detail Design
1. Converting Basic to Detail design .
2. Lack of expert Human Resources
3. Lack of Design Quality
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PROCUREMENT RISK
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Inappropriate vendor list .
Imperfect data transmission to vendors .
Lack of experience in inspection and forwarding .
Communication matters between Consortium
Members .
• Delay in paying and receiving project invoices
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CONSTRUCTION RISK
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Soil and site bed problems
Unsuitable weather conditions .
HSE matters
Labor & Sub Contractors issues .
Delay in deliveries .
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COMMISSIONG
• Non Consideration of Pre-Commissiong
Requirements.
• Delay in Final Inspections .
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EPC- TO LAST A LIFETIME
A Typical
Solar Power plant should last for 25 year with at least 80%
Generation at the end of 25th Year. This purely depends on following
factors:
•Selection of a good EPC company with in house Design capabilities to
understand the site and location and provide optimum solution for the
same.
• Selection of best equipment's and components to build the plant
• The EPC Company’s capabilities to deliver on site the plan and design
laid down on the table.
•A good and quality O&M service provider to ensure the plant is
maintained well for the next 25 years
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EPC- TO LAST A LIFETIME
In designing the site layout, the following aspects are important, The
electrical design of a PV project can be split into the DC and AC
systems.
A. The DC system comprises the following:
• Array(s) of PV modules.
• Inverters.
• DC cabling (module, string and main cable).
• DC connectors (plugs and sockets).
• Junction boxes/combiners/disconnects/switches.
• Protection devices.
• Earthing.
B. The AC system includes:
• AC cabling. Switchgear.
• Transformers.
• Substation.
• Earthing and surge protection.
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EPC- TO LAST A LIFETIME
Plant design:
Choosing the correct technology (especially modules and inverters) is
of central importance.
• A module assessment would include cost, power output, benefits /
drawbacks of technology type, quality, spectral response, performance
in low light, nominal power tolerance levels, degradation rate and
warranty terms.
•Inverters include compatibility with module technology, compliance
with grid code and other applicable regulations, inverter-based layout,
reliability, system availability, serviceability, modularity, telemetry
requirements, inverter locations, quality and cost.
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EPC- TO LAST A LIFETIME
Typical issues that arise during the construction of a PV project
include:
•Foundations not being suited to ground conditions.
•Discovery of hazardous / contaminated substances during excavation.
•Incorrect orientation of modules.
•Insufficient cross-bracing on mounting structures.
•Incorrect use of torque wrenches.
•Damaging cables during construction / installation.
•Delayed grid connection.
•Access / construction constrained by weather.
•Insufficient clearance between rows for vehicle access.
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EPC- TO LAST A LIFETIME
Commissioning:
Commissioning should prove three main criteria:
•The power plant is structurally and electrically safe.
•The power plant is sufficiently robust (structurally and electrically) to operate for
the specified project lifetime.
•The power plant operates as designed and performs as expected.
Commissioning tests are normally split into three groups:
•Visual acceptance tests
•Pre-connection acceptance tests
•Post-connection acceptance test
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Vituza 5 MW – Project Description
• Location: Vituza village, near Balotra town, Distt Barmer,
Rajasthan.
• Module: Crystalline Silicon modules
• Technology:
 Sunny Tripower 17000 TL inverters from SMA
 String Inverter used for the first time – Easy to replace hence
reducing plant downtime
 Higher levels of plant efficiency achieved
 628 MPPT’s were used to overcome shadow losses resulting in
higher generation
 SCADA – combination of Meteocontrol and SMA
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Vituza 5 MW – Project Description
• Site Conditions:
 Huge Sand dunes at the site
 Approx. 2,51,000 cu. mtr of sand had been moved and land was
leveled. Soil and Murrum was arranged from outside to cover sand to
prevent soil erosion. Stone Pitching work of 8000 sq mtr, height 17m
(max.) for entire perimeter (i.e. E, N & W sides), along the plant’s
boundary was carried out to support the raised platform.
 Pile Foundation was used for supporting structure. The piling was
done by auguring.
 The solar PV plant looks as if built on a fortress.
• Project Completion: Site leveling began in June end and the project was
commissioned on 14th Oct 2011. Refex is engaged with the O&M of this
site.
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Vituza 5 MW
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Will add a photo here
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Vituza 5 MW Plant Performance – 8,834,100 Kwh in 2012
900000
800000
700000
600000
500000
Actual Generation
400000
Estimated Generation
300000
200000
100000
0
Jan,
2012
Feb,
2012
March,
2012
April,
2012
May,
2012
June,
2012
July,
2012
Aug,
2012
Sept,
2012
Oct,
2012
Nov,
2012
Dec,
2012
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Thank you !
Presented by : Chandresh Jain
Email : Chandresh.jain@refexenergy.com
Visit us at : www.refexenergy.com
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