meteocontrol ensures maximum returns for solar projects
meteocontrol GmbH, an international PV specialist for monitoring and quality assurance, has assisted Trianel Erneuerbare Energien GmbH & Co. KG (TEE) in building the Schipkau Solar Park by providing comprehensive quality services. By continually supervising construction and carrying out regular checks, meteocontrol ensures that construction work meets the required quality standards and the entire project is carried out according to the tight schedule for solar projects. The aim is to make sure that systems are commissioned on time, operate reliably and produce good yields in the long term. In order to monitor and control the Schipkau Solar Park, meteocontrol installed the monitoring solution from its blue’Log X series.
Quality assurance was a key requirement for the solar park in Schipkau, Brandenburg, from the very beginning. The general contractor therefore called on meteocontrol as an independent expert during the planning phase and enlisted it to produce a yield report. For quality assurance during the construction phase, Trianel Erneuerbare Energien, a joint venture involving Aachen-based municipal utility companies, also enlisted the PV service provider from Augsburg to monitor all installation procedures. meteocontrol carried out regular quality checks and oversaw the inspection for the technical acceptance of the solar park with an output of around 10 MWp.
Security for the investor and the bank providing finance
“meteocontrol supervised the construction phase and provided sound technical advice,” said Andreas Lemke, Head of Decentralized Energy Systems at Trianel. “At each stage of the project, we knew that our high quality standards were being met and that the system would go online in accordance with the set schedule.” Trianel received detailed documentation and the results of recurrent plausibility tests for the schedule – essential elements when it comes to the approval of part payments and bank financing. In order to monitor and control the solar park, meteocontrol supplied and commissioned a suitable monitoring system, ensuring that the facility operated reliably from the very beginning.
Quality services during the planning and operating phase
For Managing Director Robert Pfatischer, the aim is to achieve the highest possible quality standards for meteocontrol customers: “Numerous studies have shown that inadequate quality during construction and a lack of monitoring during operation result in lower yields in the long term and prevent the calculated project revenue from being achieved.” meteocontrol therefore offers a comprehensive portfolio of quality services covering all phases from planning to operation. “As an independent third party, we identify construction defects early on and use our wealth of experience to provide manufacturer-neutral recommendations. Naturally, quality assurance costs money initially but is worthwhile in the long term and secures investments,” said the Managing Director.
In addition to yield reports in the run-up to the construction phase, meteocontrol offers technical due diligence and monitoring/SCADA planning. Together with individual services such as performance checks, module tests and the commissioning of monitoring systems and SCADA, the construction supervision and acceptance procedures ensure reliability and trouble-free system operation in the long term.
