Cost Reduction, State of the Art and Trends of Structural BoS

Helge Biernath

Solar is fun !

Cost Reduction, State of the Art and Trends of Structural BoS

• Procedures

• Products

• Equipment

• Integration

SUNSTALLing the Future

Qualified Solar Service Provider High Speed Solar Pile Driving Helical Pile Driving Structural Installation Geotech Surveying Value Add Services East + West Coast branches

Markets: Ground Mounted Large Commercial Application Utility Scale Projects

What we do - Positioning

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Geotechnical Studies

Risk assessment

Cost assessment

Cost reduction

Foundation design

Procedures – how to reduce costs.

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Photo: Claus Ableiter

Geotechnical Studies

Procedures – how to reduce costs.

SUNSTALLing the FuturePhotos : courtesy of Aquasoli

Differential Settlement

Erosion

Project Preparation

Why does everything has to be done in the last minute?

The right time of the year helps to avoid costs!

Are all resources available?

Do we have the latest plans and cut sheets?

When is the material coming? Is it coming?

Procedures – how to reduce costs.

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On-site / Off-site Assembly

Possible cost reductions

In certain areas (e.g. desert Arizona) it might help to reduce

heat related injuries

Controlled Environment -> Controlled Quality

Less loose hardware in the field

Possible cost increase

Procedures – how to reduce costs.

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Quality control

Measurements

According to manual and blue prints

Correct hardware

Torque schedule

Documentation

Procedures – how to reduce costs.

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Quality control

Procedures – how to reduce costs.

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Overview of a Mounting System

Consists of three interrelated subsystems

(a) Anchoring/Foundation - the method by which the entire mounting system is held in place on

the project site

(b) Superstructure - supports the module mounting components

(c) Module mounting system - components dedicated to holding the PV modules in place on the

superstructure

Mounting system selection influenced by site characteristics including

Environmental conditions

Site restrictions

Soil composition

Products – how to reduce costs.

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Anchoring | Foundation differences

Products – how to reduce costs.

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Anchoring | Foundation differences

Geotech analysis done?

Ram and pull out test done?

Can the manufacturer offer solutions for different

anchoring systems?

Mixed deployment on one site.

Plan B!

Products – how to reduce costs.

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Module Integration | Compact systems

Integrated systems are necessary to reduce costs

Modules should be part of the racking already

We need Ikea solutions & no loose hardware

Less manual work -> decreased costs

Higher quality

Products – how to reduce costs.

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Al vs. Steel

Do you care?

Trend to steel

How about Bamboo?

At the end of the day the TCO will decide the game!

Products – how to reduce costs.

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General Automation

Automated Surveying

Automated Pile Driving

Automated Assembly

We need the Do All Machine!

Equipment – how to reduce costs.

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Ramming Technologies

Location points uploaded into the pile driver

Automated pile driving?

Accuracy? Faster? Cost effective?

Material handling

Social component!

Equipment – how to reduce costs.

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Automated Assembly

There are some interesting new ideas floating around:

Equipment – how to reduce costs.

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Automated Assembly

Equipment – how to reduce costs.

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Automated Assembly

Is it going to be cost competitive?

Is the technology reliable?

Do we have enough big projects?

Deploy ability?

Equipment – how to reduce costs.

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Proposal Stage

Integration – how to reduce costs.

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Logistics

High due date reliability.

Short delivery times -> JIT.

Low inventory level on site.

High capacity utilization.

Communication between manufacturer and Installer is

key!

Integration – how to reduce costs.

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Construction

Does the customer knows what he wants?

Does the customer knows what he gets?

Who is coordinating the work on site?

Special resources & Tools necessary?

Plan B – are special procedures defined?

Integration – how to reduce costs.

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To continue the discussion:

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