Power Generation
Our engineers provide in-depth knowledge of electrical systems and can pinpoint problems and provide cost-effective solutions to power system operators including specialties such as photovoltaic, wind, battery storage, standby and emergency generation. Our engineering services cover the full life of a system from concept and feasibility to design and commissioning, as well as maintenance support. Detailed engineering services include Issued for Construction (IFC) drawings and construction support to ensure the installation complies with the approved IFC drawings. Our engineering staff also supports testing and commissioning for relay testing and performs IV curve trace testing in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Our power generation engineers can provide independent engineering functions as a third party and can investigate why your operating system is not performing to specifications.
Solar Generation
Our solar experience on ground-mounted, landfill-mounted, rooftop and canopies over parking lots is extensive and ranges from small- to large-scale projects. We can assist on behind-the-meter projects where all the energy is consumed within the host system or on those projects exporting power to the grid and into the energy markets. We have provided developers with prospecting and development assistance for over 2 GWs of systems throughout the Northeastern United States and Mid-Atlantic. Our solar engineering services cover the full life of a system from concept and feasibility to design and commissioning as well as maintenance support. Our engineering staff is well versed in the latest design, modeling and testing software.
- Site Feasibility Studies with Focus on Infrastructure
- Preliminary Design including Site Layout and One Lines
- Interconnection Applications
- Detail Design
- Performance Guarantee Testing
- Training Owner Personnel
- O&M System Performance Monitoring
- Third Party Reviews
- Energization Plans
- Commissioning Plans
- Testing & Commissioning Support
- Site Support
- Relay Testing
- IV Curve Tracing
- Arc Flash Hazard Analysis
- Facility Internal Distribution (End of a Bus, Non-Exporting)
- Campus System Internal Distribution 480 V-4,160 V-34.5 kV (Non-Exporting)
- Service Entrance (Net Metering)
- Utility Distribution System Interconnection 12,470-34,500 V (Developer PPA)
- Utility/ISONE Transmission System Interconnection 69 kV-345 kV (Developer PPA)
- Ground Mounted
- Landfill Mounted
- Rooftop Single and Multiple Client
- Garage and Parking Lot Canopy
Wind Generation
Our engineers have significant experience providing design, management and testing support on both onshore and offshore wind projects in the Northeast. While most of this experience has been acquired in New England and Eastern Canada over the past 10 years, our engineers have also performed wind generation site and interconnection assessments for potential projects in the State of New York. We have performed detail design on over a dozen wind projects ranging from 5 MW to 40 MW, and conceptual design studies for projects ranging between 5 MW and 450 MW in size. Our engineers have evaluated more than a dozen proposed distributed generation projects in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont under state tariff regulations and requirements.
- Conceptual Design Studies
- Detail Design
- Interconnection Applications
- Testing & Commissioning
- Conceptual Design of On-Site Communications
- Underground Collector System Design
- Construction Oversight of Interconnection Facilities; Including Collector Systems, Transmission Lines and Substation Interconnection
- Protective Relaying and Communication Needs
- IEEE 1547 Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources
- Transmission & Distribution Interconnected
- Offshore
- Onshore
Energy Storage
Our energy storage interconnection experience in the Northeast has been steadily growing. The market for stand-alone AC-coupled systems and DC-coupled array enhancements has grown significantly in the last year and is expected to accelerate. Battery storage is essential for the dependency of power at times when energy demand outstrips supply. Pairing battery storage systems with solar and wind allows for the storing of excess energy when solar panels and wind farms are producing electricity and feeding it back into the grid when they’re not. We have performed conceptual design studies for projects ranging between 1 and 10 MWhr in size and have completed detailed design and construction support activities for several Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). We provided design and engineering support for New England’s first operational stand-alone utility interconnected energy storage facility. Furthermore, our engineers provide our clients a fully designed integrated solution for their energy storage needs from interconnection applications to testing and commissioning of the projects.
- Design Integration of Battery Storage Systems
- Project Management Coordination
- Grid Capacity Determinations
- Generation Modeling
- Interconnection Design
- Owner’s Engineer
- Arc Flash/Safety Programs
- Civil Design of Foundations
- Third Party Reviews
- Feasibility Studies
- Electrical Design for the DC Wiring, Auxiliary Power and Control Wiring Systems
Renewable Generation Studies
The growth of solar, wind and battery renewable energy sources have been brisk the last few years and are likely to continue their high penetration of both small- and large-scale projects. We analyze the integration of these resources onto both transmission and distribution systems through interconnection studies or fatal flaw assessments. We have analyzed interconnections of small and large resources, performed siting and interconnection studies and most recently performed studies for emerging technologies. In addition, we perform congestion analyses to study moving large quantities of renewable energy over long distances. We have performed hundreds of distribution system studies for utilities throughout the United States, with a wide breadth of industry software knowledge.
- Prospecting & Congestion Studies
- PSCAD, PSSE, and PSLF Modeling and Benchmarking Services
- NERC MOD Testing Studies
- Short Circuit Analysis
- Load Flow and Reactive Power Analysis
- Selective Coordination of Relays and Protective Devices
- Arc Flash Analysis using SKM Power Tools for Windows, EasyPower, ETAP, and ArcPro
- Cable Ampacity Analysis using CYMECAP and AmpCalc
- Step and Touch Potential and Ground Grid Analysis
- Relay Settings and File Development
- Harmonic Analysis
- TOV Analysis
- Insulation Coordination Studies
- Effective Grounding Analysis
- Ground Bank Sizing
Owner’s Engineering Support of Operations & Maintenance Services
Proper Operations and Maintenance (O&M) are an integral part of maximizing a solar developer/owner’s Return on Investment (ROI). We provide engineering solutions to complex power systems focusing on a variety of energy-related markets. Our experienced engineers use a variety of methods to pinpoint problems and provide cost-effective solutions.
One of the most valuable techniques for identifying existing issues and preventing future complications is to walk the site and conduct a visual and hands-on inspection of the PV system components.
Our services include a thorough visual inspection of the site along with selective testing. We can provide a comprehensive report identifying any items requiring corrective actions and the recommended resolution, analyze total program performance including energy production and provide complete site-by-site information with significant actions/alarms.
- Erosion Issues
- Tree Shading
- Vegetation Growth
- Broken or Damaged Panels
- Damage to Exposed Wiring
- Main Gate and Fence Inspection
- Report Findings and Recommended Corrective Action
- Review Current Alarm Logs for Items that may be Affecting Performance
- Thermal Imaging: Used to quickly Identify Hot Spots Resulting from Cracked Cells, failed Solder Joints, damaged or Bypass Diodes
- I-V Curve Trace Testing: Provides a Permanent Record of the As-Built System Performance, Benchmark for Comparison as Arrays Age and Degrade. Identifies Underperforming Strings by Measuring String Voltage and Current
- Receive Alarm Events Notifications
- Identify and Coordinate Warranty-related Efforts, Review and Assign Corrective Actions
- Review Site Abnormalities and make Recommendations for Remediation
- Implement Systems Performance Analysis – Actual Performance Measured vs. Production Benchmark
