Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/265651
S o l a r P o w e r D a i l y N e w s 2 1 W e d n e s d a y, O c t o b e r 2 3 , 2 0 1 3 SPDN: What would you say makes your company unique? SS: At KMB, we bring large company capability with a small firm feel and rate structure. We have the resources to handle large scale projects throughout the country, and have engineered projects with fees up to $1 million, while also regularly working on many small projects with fees as low as $1,000. We also use a scalable workforce model, engaging multiple outside resources locally and nationally to keep our costs as competitive as possible for our clients. We are strongly committed to direct principal involvement with projects and clients. Also, we have a track record for fast pace, quick turnaround, excellent decision mak- ing, and a passion not typically associated with engineers. Lastly, we have a focus on the solar industry, which we believe adds value to all our clients, as opposed to engi- neers that merely "do solar." SPDN: What does your solar portfolio look like? SS: Our solar engineering projects and experiences have grown steadily over the last five years. Early on, many of our efforts fell under electrical engineering and structural analyses for small rooftop and solar canopy projects – 15kW to 500kW. Our solar projects have grown in scope (full service engineering) and sys- tem size, and now total over 230 com- pleted and 250MW as of May 2013, many providing full service engineering. SPDN: Are you introducing any new services this year? SS: Yes, we are. In Massachusetts, we recently established an energy services group with a proven leader. Combining this energy service capability with our engineering expertise and design-build capability, we are now one of the limited approved partners for the area's two largest utilities – National Grid and NStar – to work with end users to provide audits and energy reduction installations KMB Design (Cont'd. from p. 1) with access to the very significant rebate programs offered by these utilities. SPDN: Who are your target clients and end users? SS: The beauty of solar PV is that there are really no limits on the end-user type. It is a value to all sectors – retail, hospitality, corporate, industrial, institutional, munici- pal and federal facilities, etc. Anybody with an energy load profile. As far as our target clients for solar, that also can vary significantly. As the design engineer, we don't specifically target end users, but with our relationships we have the oppor- tunity to facilitate proper introductions to our many clients. Our client types for solar include solar integrators/turnkey develop- ers, EPC contractors, capital energy com- panies, real estate developers, and suppli- ers performing vertical market integration. For more information, visit www.kmbdg.com, call 732-280-5623, email sschwerd@kmbdg.com, or stop by booth 4132 at Solar Power International. module of nominal size (5.5 feet by 12.5 feet (1.6 meters by 3.8 meters)) made using 240 high efficiency 156mm crystalline silicon solar cells connected in 10-cell strings. Cells with a nominal output of 4.42 W/cell (at 18.5 percent cell efficiency) will produce a nominal module power of greater than 1060 watts. Module efficiency with anti- reflection coated (ARC) glass is esti- mated to be 17.0 percent. Larger modules provide significant PV system investment reduction by driv- ing cost savings in several key areas: bal- ance of system (BOS) components and field installation labor, and offshore mod- ule shipping, packing, inland transporta- tion and handling costs. As a leading supplier of turn-key solar PV module factories worldwide, Spire can provide the manufacturing equipment, processing technology and systems engineering to help customers site, set up and run a super-sized module breeder solar farm factory. Spire's 20MW per year automated production line offers a modest invest- ment entry point to get up and running. Later, as solar farm sizes grow to 50MW and greater, this starting solar farm factory can be upgraded and expanded to a highly automated 50MW factory for mass production of modules. All process equipment pro- vided in this turn-key line is integrated and configured for optimal module line efficiency, and includes the process expertise to quickly ramp the line, Super-Sized (Cont'd. from p. 1) assistance with UL certification of the module, factory management support, and system Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) support to assist large scale 10 to 20MW solar farm installation projects. The primary advantages and benefits of super-sized modules built at a point- of-use onsite factory are: reduced materi- als and labor installation costs, reliable, "bankable," and robust design, more power per unit area, and smaller space requirements. The point-of-use solar farm factory for super-sized PV modules is a signif- icant innovation in PV module technol- ogy which will help the solar PV indus- try drive to a lower Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for large scale PV Systems. The development of the super-sized module offers significant leveraging of current required PV sys- tem investment levels for a large scale solar farm by deploying a point-of-use solar farm factory in conjunction with a super-sized module that yields a lower factory cost than conventional mod- ules. The economic advantages yield an aggregate PV balance of systems sav- ings of $0.16/W. A $0.16/W PV system cost reduction is equivalent to a capital cost savings of $16 million dollars for a 100MW solar farm and an energy sav- ings of $5.00/MWh. This cost reduc- tion translates into hundreds of mil- lions of dollars in savings for this rap- idly growing market. For more information, visit www.spirecorp.com. This next generation design elimi- nates the need for expensive DC wiring components and centralized power invert- ers. Compared with the regular AC microinverters, the frame-attached AC Module simplifies installation and ground connections, and lowered installation cost by a large margin. Additionally, the Phono Solar AC Module dramatically reduces the complex designing and installing process associated with tradi- tional DC solar power systems. The advantages of the AC module will assist end users in realizing generat- ing electricity for themselves and lower- ing their costs. Phono Solar is always committed to reducing power utilizing costs for its users. Intertek's certification of the frame-attached AC module means that it meets the requirements of per- Phono Solar (Cont'd. from p. 1) formance, quality and safety. Meanwhile, this kind of AC Module has brought benefits to partners by greatly simplifying installation and reducing ground connection costs. Phono Solar AC modules' benefits to the home owner and installer include the fact that they are easy to install around obstructions, shaded areas and on com- plex rooftops. They simplify system design with panel level DC to AC power conversion, improve energy harvest with power optimization at the panel level, and have performance monitoring of each individual panel. They also have no high voltage DC wiring, and Phono Solar's industry-leading 25-year performance warranty guarantees your investment. For more information, visit www.phonosolar.com, or visit booth 2643 at Solar Power International. Campbell Scientific offers several pre-configured and custom automated data acquisition systems that are specifically designed for solar monitor- ing applications. A full range of pre- configured and/or custom turn-key sys- tems are available for photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) applications to service all solar resource assessment and power per- formance monitoring needs. Systems include the SOLAR1000 Solar Monitoring Station, the Solar800 Resource Assessment Station and the CSP100 Concentrated-Solar-Power Monitoring Package. Systems are designed to meet common industry per- formance standards, including California ISO Solar Telemetry Standards, and they can be easily cus- tomized with accessories for every aspect of the station, from communica- tions to mounting options. The SOLAR1000 is an automated data acquisition system specifically designed for continuous monitoring and data reporting at solar energy producing utilities where global and plane of array irradiance measurements are required. The system is highly configurable and can be designed to meet any specific util- ity or project specifications. In addition, the system meets ASTM E2848 stan- dards, which are typically used to guide- line system commissioning, and includes novel approaches to remote data viewing and collection. The Solar1000 is the industry standard for high performance solar measurements with more monitored power than any other weather station on Campbell Scientific (Cont'd. from p. 1) the market. The SOLAR800 is a turnkey solar- measurement data-acquisition system specifically designed for solar-resource assessment. It provides the on-site data essential for a thorough understanding of a project site's solar resource and variability. The system is designed with fast-to-field features that simplify and expedite installation: no system coding required, quick-deploy installation components and guide, and simple-to- configure software. Data retrieval is easy and flexible. The CSP100 is the highest accura- cy automated data acquisition system specifically designed for applications where continuous, direct-normal, and diffuse irradiance measurements are required. Though offered as a turn-key pack- age, nearly every aspect of the system is customizable, including sensors, commu- nications, mounting, and power supply. Typical uses of the CSP100 include research and development, resource assessment, and performance monitoring of solar power producing units. Campbell Scientific systems are fac- tory-wired and tested by experienced application engineers so that customers can deploy stations with confidence. In addition, all products and systems are backed by the company's unparalleled technical support team available via phone or email. For more information, visit booth 2446 at Solar Power International, go online to www.campbellsci.com/solar- energy, call 435-227-9030 or email info@campbellsci.com.