Extra value from unique utility scale solar project opportunities

According to the International Energy Agency, solar power is the cheapest electricity in history.¹ Utility-scale solar PV is considered the least costly option per watt for new electricity generation in a majority of countries worldwide.²

It can be surmised, therefore, that this would fuel increased interest in this technology. And indeed, more than 30 countries generate more than 10% of their electricity from solar.³ Solar was the fastest rising source of electricity generation for the 19th year running in 2023.⁴

Utility-scale solar projects are a business opportunity

Utility scale solar projects have traditionally been defined as large-scale ground-mount installations of 1MW or larger. These power plants are much like their conventional fossil-fuel counterparts, but of course, with a green footprint. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, SEIA, there are currently over 7,050 utility scale projects internationally at various stages of completion.⁵

These projects and other solar projects like it are driven of course by profitability and by legislation (the latter affecting the former). In Europe, for example, new regulatory plans have been enacted almost yearly, and with each plan, solar targets increase: 384GWac target in 2019 was upped to 592GWac in 2023.⁶  In the US, The Bureau of Land Management has proposed using up to 22 million acres of public land for solar projects in the western US.⁷  And while the final scale of the project may change, current projections (published January 2024) expect utility-scale solar generation to grow in the US  by 75% in the next two years, adding 79,000 megawatts of new capacity.⁸ This global trend of regulation can be found in Taiwan, Saudia Arabia, Columbia and the United States, to name just a few.⁹

Former roadblocks to utility-scale solar project

SolarPower Europe, in their most recent Outlook for Europe report, claim that as opposed to rooftop solar, which is growing, utility scale solar projects are facing a slight decline due to high interest rates, and high material and labor costs, among other reasons.¹⁰

This clarifies that while utility scale solar projects are promoted by government bodies, it is necessary to ensure project profitability to bring them to fruition.

The first question for an investor is project location: where will it be located? And what costs will be incurred based on that decision?

Utility scale projects require land – and an extremely specific type of land at that. When installing traditional solar inverter systems, called string inverter systems, all panels must be placed at the same angle and tilt to ensure highest production. This means that for best results the land must be level. Investors have several courses of action open to them, and each project may require a different solution.

1. Seek level land. Currently, this type of land is harder to find and possibly more expensive.
2. Choose available land that is not level, including service roads alongside highways, train tracks, slopes, uneven terrains, dirt roads or rocky areas. In order to prepare this land for best production results with a typical string inverter system they would invest in pier or slope analysis (to analyze the slope of the terrain or the solar panel mounts required) and choose to either adjust the height of the solar panel frames to achieve level positioning, or physically level the ground itself.¹¹ Either of these could add cost and time to the project, outlays which could impact the project’s financial results.
3. Select a different solar technology that can maximize production on irregular surfaces. The SolarEdge solution can overcome these land challenges with technology that improves on basic MLPE (module level power electronics) principles. More details on this in the next paragraph.
4. Take advantage of lands designated for agriculture, aquaculture, or hydropower. One of the relatively new types of utility scale application:  agri-PV; the dual use of land for agriculture and for PV production is becoming a popular option and can bring additional value to the landowner. Floating PV, which sees solar panels installed on a body of water, is another way to create large scale installations without requiring land and is an excellent option in areas where available land is scarce.

These creative solutions come with a raft of benefits, in addition to solar production: floating installations often reduce water evaporation and can work in tandem with hydroelectric power plants; agri-PV serves to protect certain crops from harsher weather as effects of global warming are felt; subsidies available for use of non-traditional land can be awarded. But, as mentioned above, the drawbacks of traditional technologies can hamper the profitability of such installations. 
 

This is where SolarEdge comes in.

The recent Floating PV Best Practices Guidelines from SolarPower Europe recognizes Power Optimizers as a preferred solution for solving panel (module) mismatch related energy losses due to uneven production between panels in a string. This technology also enables maximum output from bi-facial panels, which is becoming increasingly popular in large scale installations.

SolarEdge has been providing Power Optimizers for commercial and large-scale installations for over 15 years – and continues to perfect their offering to ensure best production, advanced safety, and improved O&M, without incurring the limitations that other technologies experience with challenging terrains.

How SolarEdge Optimized Utility can enable greater ROI

SolarEdge technology is built upon a completely different premise than string technology and is therefore able to optimize the results of each panel.

While a string system imposes limitations on solar panels, only allowing them to produce to the amount of the lowest common denominator, SolarEdge Power Optimizers free each pair of panels to produce at their optimum potential, without limits. Therefore, there is no requirement for level ground, and the installation can ideally support maximum production from bi-facial panels, instrumental to maximizing a site’s ROI. With Power Optimizers attached directly to the panels, it is similarly possible to gain unparalleled pinpoint visibility into site performance and reduce O&M costs. This is extremely important in large sites for efficient monitoring and troubleshooting.

What does the SolarEdge Optimized Utility solution look like?

SolarEdge does not simply manufacture products. The company provides complete solutions that can fulfill the needs of installers and investors. The SolarEdge Optimized Utility solution integrates advanced technologies for PV harvesting, tracking and energy management, as well as safety and cybersecurity. Investors receive the hardware and software products they need in one integrated ecosystem, designed to work together seamlessly, all from one vendor.

The solution is driven by the recently introduced SolarEdge TerraMax™ Inverter. The first DC-optimized utility-scale PV inverter in the market, it boasts SolarEdge technology that powers the lion’s share of the global MLPE (module level power electronics) commercial sector. Boasting 99% inverter efficiency, up to 200% DC-oversizing, and integrated night-time PID rectifiers, it boosts energy yields for lower LCOE and better bottom lines. The up to 330k inverter is outfitted with SiC-based semiconductors which is designed to increase energy production and reduce energy loss for higher efficiency during the conversion process. It’s a rugged inverter that performs better in higher temperatures than typical competitors. SolarEdge TerraMax™ Inverter is paired with H1300 Power Optimizers, which are devised to work with the inverter and fitted with advanced safety technology. Optional additions for increased functionality include the SolarEdge ONE Controller, designed to enable the connection of third-party sensors and devices when necessary. SolarEdge ONE for Optimized Utility is a new energy optimization platform that is designed to meet the unique needs of EPCs and O&M teams. It supercharges the monitoring and tracking abilities of the system and enables precision, panel-level monitoring and focused reporting to support smart PV fleet management and remote troubleshooting, which reduces service visits, increases system uptime, and lowers O&M costs. SolarEdge ONE for Optimized Utility also supports remote device operation and configuration and provides advanced analytic tools.

The SolarEdge smart trackers are another useful system component to maximize results across a variety of terrains, even difficult ones. Equipped with highly precise and customizable tracking algorithms that guide the trackers to move the panels across the sky for increased production (and when coupled with agriculture in Agri-PV sites can also factor in the needs of crop production for optimum results of both), the smart trackers are both robust and flexible, for use on the most difficult of landscapes. They sit on the shortest tracker table on the market, in order to enable installation on slopes (even up to 30%!)  in irregularly shaped parcels and in areas that require tightly spaced panels. Smart Trackers used with bifacial panels can increase solar energy output by as much as 25%.¹²

Dedicated software for installers rounds out the Optimized Utility solution providing the tools required for ease of work.

Safety and cybersecurity are intrinsic to the system

With SolarEdge solutions, safety and cybersecurity are integral to the design and we do not compromise. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” was Ben Franklin’s famous advice, and never has this been truer than in large systems.

At SolarEdge, we build-in multiple failsafes to protect against the concern of a simple breach in cybersecurity compromising your entire fleet, or a single component breakdown affecting site profitability.

SolarEdge built in temperature sensors on both DC and AC connectors are designed to identify an arc before it can turn into a hazard. Our system design itself is optimized for safety: fewer strings mean less chance of damage to a cable which could cause an arc; factory-crimping as many connectors as possible can prevent human error and reduce likelihood of arc formation. The system similarly provides a safer working environment for maintenance and emergency crews with built-in SafeDC™, designed to lower high DC voltage to touch safe levels.

Cybersecurity protection is integrated from inverter to cloud in order to secure the site and data; this is a critical component to ensuring continuous power and uninterrupted site performance. SolarEdge follows the Cyber Informed Engineering (CIE) principle, embedding information security mechanisms into its products from initial design stages. The solution is continuously adapted and enhanced to align with evolving demands and regulatory standards.