Expert wire design to support unique microgrid layout

A leading electric utility company had a vision to create a microgrid powered by solar to meet their need of providing clean energy on the go. The goal was to equip their EV fleet drivers with a place to charge their vehicles. Two, 28-foot EV mobile charging trailers, located at their West Palm Beach facility, each carry a battery used to charge their EV vehicles. By combining solar and energy storage, you can store excess energy from the sun and customers can experience the benefits of solar energy even when the sun isn’t shining. The mobile EV charging trailers can also help provide power during public emergencies such as hurricanes.
To power the charging stations, they built a 5 MW fixed tilt solar site. This fixed tilt site was not your average design as it included fixed tilt panels in rows that faced both east and west. This unique design posed a complex wire layout, one that was unfamiliar to the builder. They needed a partner that could provide wiring expertise to ensure it was efficiently designed and that the project could be completed on time. With time of the essence, the Terrasmart team jumped into action to review drawings and put forward a smart and value engineered solution that met the unique needs of the project.

The plug-n-play wire solution consisted of 144,000 feet of wire, spooled to enable easy and fast in-field execution saving installation time and dollars. 18 harnesses per row were used, totaling 762 harnesses for the full site and connected to 34 combiner boxes. We provided both skip and standard string to support the two different module types. The team’s sharp attention detail uncovered a shortage in the number of jumpers ordered by the customer. The team was able to produce the additional jumpers needed quickly to ensure no delays in the project. A structured shipping meant the customer could maintain their installation schedule.

With the expertise and attention to detail from the team we saved the customer money by using less wire, prefabricating wire to make in field installation faster, and ensured the right number of parts were delivered enabling the project to stay on schedule without delay. We did not just fulfill the order as it stood, we ensured it was designed to meet the needs of the site in the most value engineered manner. This innovative microgrid design will not only allow for mobile clean energy but will also allow the utility company to gain insights that will help fuel innovation for future renewable energy projects.