diversifying your pv business webinar
TRANSCRIPT
Diversifying a PV Installation Business
Michael Middlemast
Business Development Manager for Renewables
World Leading Electrical Test Equipment from Seaward Seaward has over 70 years experience in the design manufacture of market-leading electrical test equipment. Seaward’s unrivalled range of electrical test equipment serves a wide variety of safety testing and precision measurement applications. For 25 years Seaward has been developing market-defining portable appliance testers, software and accessories for the PAT testing market. The Cropico and Clare ranges of precision instruments and industrial electrical test equipment bolster Seaward’s product offering and demonstrate the result of 70 years of technical expertise across a number of industries including manufacturing, utilities and aerospace. The market-defining range of solar PV test equipment makes meeting IEC 62446 and other PV test and documentation requirements faster, safer and easier. From solar site-survey to commissioning tests, PV system maintenance and PV system certification, Seaward Solar has it covered.
New Opportunities
Diversify to Maintain
You have a list of all the PV installations you have done…
You have a wealth of transferable resources…
The equipment and software required for you to diversify is accurate, user friendly and cost effective.
You have a wealth of transferable skills…
Diversify to Sustain
Market Potential Number of installs in your catchment area Do you have a record of your previous clients and installations? Is there an appetite for your services?
Financial Feasibility
Is the market large enough to justify your diversification? New capital or can you divert funds from another part of the business?
Legislative Barriers To Entry
Evaluate policy and legislative barriers!
The renewable energy sector is heavily dependant on government lead subsidies. Ramping up your business to take on board an emerging technology is high risk if the legislation is not set in stone. When working in the operations and maintenance space, standards and policy also.
Analyse The Competition
Identify your competitors
Determine their goals
Identify their strategies and tactics
Assess their strengths and weaknesses
Estimate their reactivity/hostility
Determine which to attack and to avoid
Sales And Marketing Strategies
A full physical inspection of the PV array including roof fixings, cabling, module integrity and inverter functionality. A full electrical inspection of the PV array including an open circuit voltage test, short circuit current test, insulation resistance test and IV curve trace. An energy efficiency survey of the property and its occupant’s energy use.
“Good evening Sir/Madam, this is X Solar you may remember us we installed your system X years ago. We would like to talk with you briefly about the health of your PV system. Did you know there are several external factors that could effect it’s efficiency?”
A solar PV health check…
Seaward PV150 Solar Test Kit
• Removes the risk of arcing during short circuit
current testing
• Removes the risk of damaging PV modules
during insulation testing, when applying voltages
of up to 1000V
• Automatically checks that Voc and Isc of strings
are within 5% of string averages (IEC 62446)
• Conducts all electrical safety testing faster and
more completely than traditional methods
• Reports can then be created with Solar Cert
software
• The most popular PV diagnostic tool currently
on the market
PV200 Test Kit
Features:
Memory for up to 999 test results
Lightweight, handheld and fast, accurate testing
Simple push button operation
All-in-one commissioning tests and I-V curve tracing, in
accordance with international standards IEC 62446 and IEC
61829
Instantly view detailed I-V curves in the field using the
Android PVMobile App
Instantly send data from the field back to the office using
Android PVMobile App
Tests individual PV modules or strings
Clear results display, even in direct sunlight
Wirelessly receives irradiance and temperature
measurements from Survey 200R
Compatible with SolarCert Elements v2 software
Comprehensive Solar PV testing…
Electrical/Analysis Test Functions:
I-V curve tracing, in accordance with IEC 61829
Earth/ground continuity
Insulation resistance (auto short circuit test and point-to-point)
Voltage measurement
Open circuit voltage up to 1000VDC
Maximum power point voltage up to 1000VDC
Short circuit current up to 15ADC
Maximum power point current up to 15ADC
Fill factor
Operating current (using supplied current clamp)
DC power
The Next Generation of PV Diagnostics
Electrical/Analysis Test Functions
I-V curve tracing, in accordance with IEC 61829
Earth/ground continuity
Insulation resistance (auto short circuit test and point-to-point)
Voltage measurement
Open circuit voltage up to 1000VDC
Maximum power point voltage up to 1000VDC
Short circuit current up to 15ADC
Maximum power point current up to 15ADC
Fill factor
Operating current (using supplied current clamp)
DC power
The Benefits of I-V Curve Tracing in Solar PV Webinar Sessions Available
A unique irradiance meter with added features such as a digital compass, inclinometer and thermometer. A great tool for site surveying, commissioning and an integral part of the I-V curve tracing process.
• Irradiance (in W/m2 or BTU/hr-ft2)
• Roof orientation and pitch
• Ambient and panel temperature (in °C or °F)
• Complete with a on board datalogging mode for 5000 records
Highly accurate measurement of irradiance using a monocrystalline PV cell – more accurate than using a photodiode
Suitable for both photovoltaic and solar thermal installations
Compare system performance against long-term irradiance variation
Solar Survey 200R
Solar Cert Elements V2.0
Easily create site reports and analyse curve data. Organise by plant hierarchy and compare multiple strings at once
