Value Engineering Solar Projects for Cost Efficiency
- 19/04/19
- Business of Solar,Panel Talk and Technology
Not all solar companies offer the same options and perks, and it’s important to distinguish what makes one solar company stand out amongst the crowded field of its peers.
This is where value engineering comes into play. Simply put, the ratio of function to cost creates value. By either lowering costs or boosting function, value increases. While it sounds simple, achieving true value engineering, especially in the solar industry, is easier said than done.
Thankfully, the experts at TrinaPro provide developers overseeing utility-scale and C&I solar PV installations with a host of value engineered solutions that create a holistic view of the entire project, ultimately improving function and reducing costs.
Why is Value Engineering Important for Solar PV Sites?
The goal of value engineering is value improvement for the project as a whole. Originated by the General Electric Company after World War II, value engineering continues to provide financial benefits across industries and sectors. The process involves using a systematic method to prototype various design iterations and examine a host of functions to boost the overall value of the system.
TrinaPro takes these time-tested value engineering methods and aptly applies them to the solar industry. In this case, value engineering consists of the techniques and processes used to design the system’s layout, procure the materials, and install the wiring and components.
This covers steps such as defining the project’s scope, its constructability, its functional design, the project’s internal and external coordination, or the scheduling for project development. Other possible value improvements cover the installation’s environmental impacts or other public concerns.
Each step along the way creates opportunities to streamline processes and reduce project costs. For instance, by evaluating a variety of potential designs, the engineers might discover how they can wire the system optimally to reduce overall project costs. Or the engineers might figure how they can maximize the number of modules on the site, leading to greater energy production.
How TrinaPro Delivers Value Engineering
Shared Savings
TrinaPro’s solutions include Duomax Twin bifacial modules paired with solar trackers to boost energy power gain. Additional string or central inverters help minimize overall system loss.
Trina’s technical components are easy to assemble, while on-site technicians mean minimized installation man-hours and near-zero maintenance costs in the long term.
In-House Design and Engineering
TrinaPro offers developers site selection support throughout the life cycle of the system. The site design will comply with local standards and will be customized to site environmental conditions. The optimization of the site layout means the module and tracker orientation will ensure maximum sunlight saturation. An energy production estimation allows stakeholders to make easier forecasts.
Further, since TrinaPro handles the preliminary system design and engineering in house at the same time as the procurement phase, it provides more opportunities to find ways to improve the overall value of the system.
Reliability
With decades building its international supply chain, Trina has partnerships around the world with Tier 1 solar component manufacturers. This means all materials run through strict quality control and there’s timely availability and delivery for the complete system.
Developers gain access to customized components that decrease long-term costs associated with operations and maintenance, such as wind stow, wind speed, snow loads, controllers, anti-corrosion, and system-level monitoring. Flexibility tracker components further optimize all terrains.
The reliability TrinaPro brings to solar projects ensures costs remain low while improving the function of every step along the way. TrinaPro’s expertise in value engineering the best solar PV systems lets utility-scale and C&I projects go to market with the perfect-size project at the right price point.
Click here to learn more about TrinaPro’s value engineering approach to solar PV installations.
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