Drive Predictable Results With an Integrated EPC Team

In the renewable industry, it can be rare to have an experienced engineer-procure-construct (EPC) team that is fully integrated under one roof and invested from the beginning through to completion. From project development and permitting through to interconnection, construction and startup, utilizing an integrated EPC partner is imperative to creating a more seamless, predictable and cost-effective experience.

Identify the Right Solutions for Your Renewable Portfolio

SOLAR

Energy Storage

Interconnection and Substation

Environmental

Wind

Offshore Wind

Solar

Upfront planning and seamless construction integration are critical for solar projects. With an integrated EPC approach, vital components like concept development, geotech, permitting and site optimization are planned for and designed with constructability in mind, creating less unpredictability when it comes to budget and installation costs.

Blog

Reducing Unintended Consequences: Integrated EPC for Solar and Storage

Burns & McDonnell

Partnering with an integrated engineer-procure-construct (EPC) team can mitigate challenges in executing large-scale solar and energy storage projects.

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Blog

Q&A: Drew Powers Sheds Light on Solar Construction

Burns & McDonnell

EPC construction manager Drew Powers addresses benefits of engineer-procure-construct execution, site selection challenges and technology implementation.

NEWS RELEASE

Burns & McDonnell Contracted to Build 250 MW of Solar Projects in Wisconsin

Burns & McDonnell

Burns & McDonnell is providing the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for three Alliant Energy solar projects in Wisconsin. The projects include Bear Creek (50-MW/ac / 64-MW/dc), North Rock (50-MW/ac / 64-MW/dc), and Wood County (150-MW/ac / 198-MW/dc) and are part of the path to generating cleaner energy in the state.

Case Study

Embarking on a Utility-Scale Solar Project to Meet Emission Reduction Goals

Burns & McDonnell

To continue to provide reliable service, CenterPoint Energy needed a new 50-megawatt alternating current (MWac)/64.7-megawatt direct current (MWdc) universal solar array. Burns & McDonnell was brought on to self-perform the construction and stayed on-site despite challenges related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Blog

Little Things Add Up in Successful Solar Construction

Burns & McDonnell

Solar installations look simple, but they come with challenges. Drawing on integrated resources enables insights that turn a good project into a great one.

Webinar

First 100 Days

Burns & McDonnell

U.S. senators have introduced a plan that would revamp tax credits for new power plants, stand-alone storage, high-voltage transmission lines, distributed generation and carbon capture transactions. How would these tax credits impact energy storage projects? What would the opt-out option mean for the utilities market? We discuss how the proposed legislation could impact the future of renewable energy projects.

Blog

Procure-Engineer-Construct: Optimize Solutions for Solar Sites

1898 & Co.

Understanding the equipment needs for solar is critical. Flipping the engineer-procure-construct approach to procure-engineer-construct can drive success.

White Paper

Recommendations for Overcoming the Limitations of Capacity Tests of Utility-Scale Photovoltaics Projects

Burns & McDonnell

The gathering of sufficient valid data points to meet photovoltaic project capacity test procedures can present major challenges. Mitigation strategies are available to overcome these challenges. These include using wider irradiances ranges, higher resolution data, and stowing tracked arrays.

Blog

Advancing Solar Construction With Grading Design

Burns & McDonnell

Grading design is integral to solar projects. Time and costs can be saved with minimal land disturbance at the chosen construction site.

Blog

Recognize the Value of Your Site When Implementing Solar

Burns & McDonnell

To maximize returns on greenfield solar projects, operations personnel need to understand key aspects already present on site: land, load and financing.

Blog

Geotechnical Studies Reveal Site Obstacles, Reduce Unknowns on Solar Projects

Burns & McDonnell

A successful solar project needs the sun, but nearly half of solar installation construction happens underground, meaning geotechnical studies can reveal information critical to budget and schedule.

Blog

Applying Renewable Generation to Oil and Gas Facilities

Burns & McDonnell

Oil and gas companies are considering integration of renewable energy assets, but the challenges of intermittent power sources must be addressed upfront.

Blog

Looking Toward a Utility Self-Build Model for Renewable Generation

Burns & McDonnell

Power utilities are moving away from power purchase agreements and embracing the build, own, transfer model to allow ownership and control over assets.

Blog

Extending the Ride on the Solar Coaster

Burns & McDonnell

It’s tempting to view the extension of solar investment tax credit percentages as a gift of time, but it’s valuable to continue on with execution plans.

White Paper

Key Factors for Successful Solar Construction

Burns & McDonnell

With PV module costs dropping, decarbonization efforts increasing and the solar ITC extended, interest in solar is high. A changing marketplace, however, is complicating the development of new utility-scale solar farms. Now, more than ever, contractor knowledge and experience in the current landscape are critical for successful completion.

Blog

Rural Communities Reap the Benefits of Wind and Solar

Burns & McDonnell

Rural power providers are integrating wind and solar energy to support more reliable and affordable energy options for customers.

Blog

Meeting Decarbonization Goals With Reliability and Resilience

Burns & McDonnell

Utilities need to plan for dispatchable generation as they transition the generation mix to meet ambitious renewable energy goals.

Blog

How Energy Storage Will Support Expansion of Renewables

Burns & McDonnell

As energy storage systems expand to meet electrical grid challenges, it is important to understand the drivers and challenges facing renewables markets.

Blog

How EPC Integrators Balance Objectives and Streamline Performance

Burns & McDonnell

An experienced and knowledgeable engineer-procure-construct (EPC) integrator balances competing objectives to successfully deliver infrastructure projects.

Blog

For High-Quality Solar Installations, Start With High-Quality Evaluations

Burns & McDonnell

Growing solar adoption is bringing new manufacturers and contractors into the solar field. Thorough examinations of site characteristics, equipment options and construction contractor experience are critical for success with new solar photovoltaic (PV) installations.

Blog

Reflecting on Solar Panel Glare and How to Mitigate It

1898 & Co.

Several options can mitigate the risk of potential glare from sunlight on installations of large solar photovoltaic (PV) modules at airports.

Blog

Enriching Your Solar Plant Inspection With UAS

1898 & Co.

Deploying an unmanned aerial system (UAS) to inspect solar generation offers benefits, but you must weigh the inspection cost against the return of repairs.

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Energy Storage

Regardless of the sun shining or wind blowing, maintaining reliable energy service is imperative. With many moving parts involved in energy storage, seamless EPC experience and integrated coordination are key to executing on-time and on-budget projects.

Blog

Five Energy Storage Pathways Show Promising Future

Burns & McDonnell

Energy storage options are gaining ground due to their potential to address energy storage, reliability and resiliency issues amid the decarbonization push.

Blog

How Energy Storage Will Support Expansion of Renewables

Burns & McDonnell

As energy storage systems expand to meet electrical grid challenges, it is important to understand the drivers and challenges facing renewables markets.

White Paper

Comparing the Advantages of Lithium-Ion Batteries and Hydrogen

1898 & Co.

The future of energy storage will depend on being able to store energy practically and economically for months at a time, as opposed to hours. While batteries are clear leaders in current storage applications, hydrogen is increasingly gaining appeal as the efficiency and cost of hydrogen based power has improved significantly.

White Paper

Chilled Water Thermal Energy Storage and Management Systems Provide Opportunities to Optimize Renewables

Burns & McDonnell

Employing thermal energy storage (TES) technologies can improve flexibility when auxiliary power associated with energy storage is utilized. This can optimize battery performance, resulting in longer life cycles.

Blog

Identifying the Right Solutions for Energy Storage Foundations

Burns & McDonnell

Selecting a foundation for an energy storage project must incorporate geologic and other factors. An integrated EPC team helps achieve a seamless experience.

Webinar

Watts Up in Battery Storage

Burns & McDonnell

With more wind and solar coming onto the grid, storage is the holy grail in energy. One of the prime movers in this energy transformation is the rapid advancement in battery storage technologies. In this webinar we explored the various technologies and potential applications.

IN THE NEWS

Burns & McDonnell Completes Construction of Three West Texas Energy Storage Projects Delivering 60 MWh of Capacity

Burns & McDonnell

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Burns & McDonnell has completed construction of three 10-MW/20-MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) in West Texas. The three project sites were constructed, commissioned and put into operation in just five months, delivering the project on schedule amid a volatile supply chain and logistics market.

White Paper

Choosing the Right Battery for Utility-Scale Solar-Plus-Storage Projects

Burns & McDonnell

To realize the value utility-scale solar and storage offers, utilities need to define the use case, determine ancillary services and locate the optimal location. This process will help identify the right solar, battery and storage technology option to achieve maximum returns.

White Paper

Investment Drives Interest in Flow Batteries and Long-Duration Energy Storage

Burns & McDonnell

The commercialization of next-generation long-duration energy storage may get a boost in the U.S. with the expected passage of bipartisan infrastructure legislation that includes more than $500 million for energy storage demonstrations. For companies investing in flow batteries and other longer-duration technologies, it couldn’t come at a better time.

White Paper

Promising Outlook for Lithium-Ion Battery Technology — Once Risks Are Addressed

Burns & McDonnell

Lithium-ion batteries have become the technology of choice for utility-scale energy storage configurations. Further growth will depend on how manufacturers and the utility industry address battery safety challenges.

Blog

Black Starting With Batteries

Burns & McDonnell

To support black start capabilities, operators should take into account the key benefits and considerations when implementing a battery energy storage system.

Press Release

Burns & McDonnell Awarded Engineer-Procure-Construct Contract for West Texas Storage Projects

Burns & McDonnell

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Burns & McDonnell was selected by LG Energy Solution and Sustainable Environmental Renewable (SER) Capital Partners to provide engineer-procure-construct (EPC) services for three 10-megawatt/20 megawatt-hour lithium-ion, stand-alone battery energy storage systems. The three facilities are located in the West Texas region.

Blog

The Future of Energy Storage Needs a Disposal Plan

Burns & McDonnell

To stop decarbonized energy from creating environmental waste, disposal and recycling of lithium-ion batteries used in energy storage must be discussed.

Blog

Battery Storage Key to Energy Transition as Industry Addresses Safety

Burns & McDonnell

Energy storage is transforming power, and lithium-ion is a driving force. Time will tell whether lithium-ion will remain in the lead over the long-term.

White Paper

Flow Batteries Offer Utilities Another Energy Storage Option

Burns & McDonnell

Lithium-ion technology dominates the market for battery energy storage systems, but redox flow battery technology is gaining traction as an energy storage alternative that can make economic sense under several scenarios for utility-scale applications.

Webinar

Digging Deeper Into Storage

Burns & McDonnell

Our April webinar on energy storage generated so many great questions and such excellent feedback that Chris Ruckman and Jason Barmann are back with more. This new session will examine operations and maintenance for energy storage, use cases and case studies for utility-scale implementation, and recycling considerations. We’ll also discuss NFPA 855: Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems.

Webinar

Long-Duration Energy Storage — What’s Available?

Burns & McDonnell

Flow batteries and other technologies, both new and old, are competing for space in a rapidly dynamic storage market, while lithium-ion technology is advancing and prices are dropping. Which applications are suited to which technologies? And at what cost might longer-duration technologies compete? We discuss the market drivers, technology status and economics of flow batteries and other long-duration storage technologies.

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GENERATOR INTERCONNECTIONS AND SUBSTATIONS

The growth of renewable generation and evolving energy standards create schedule challenges for both utilities and renewable developers. Grid interconnections require proper planning, risk assessment and execution of the engineering and construction to allow for a streamlined experience interconnecting to the grid.

Blog

Four Answers to Navigating the Interconnection Queue

1898 & Co.

Navigating the interconnection queue for renewable power is difficult for utilities. Four experience-based lessons offer pointers on factors to consider.

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Case Study

Comprehensive Analysis for Interconnection

1898 & Co.

As renewable energy becomes more predominant in California’s generation mix, Pacific Gas & Electric needs a reliable way to effectively interconnect generation customers. Generator interconnection studies provide detailed reliability analysis to inform this process.

Blog

Renewables Growth Stimulates the Need for Transmission Upgrades

Burns & McDonnell

To efficiently integrate renewables, upgrades to an aging transmission system are necessary to enable operational flexibility and cost savings.

Blog

Embracing the Option to Build Under FERC Order 845

Burns & McDonnell

FERC Order 845 lets renewable generators build interconnections instead of relying on transmission providers, boosting flexibility and cost control.

Project Profile

Delivering a Powerful Interconnection With Comprehensive Services

Burns & McDonnell

A municipal utility required a new 345-kV transmission line and substation for grid interconnection of a solar generation plant. To execute the project quickly and seamlessly, we are providing full-service solutions — from concept to completion — with an integrated team approach.

White Paper

Grid modernization: Strong, smart, sustainable

1898 & Co.

The electric grid was based on the requirements of an earlier society. In today’s always-on world, outages of even a minute can anger customers who work from home, have life support equipment or just want their social media. Utilities must develop strategies that result in a strong, smart and sustainable grid.

Case Study

Operational Data Gaps Resolved with an OSIsoft PI Software Solution

1898 & Co.

A Midwest-based independent power producer and supplier was seeing discrepancies between energy output of wind turbines and the energy available to be sold to customers. To effectively track outages and improve communications with consumers, a new software solution was implemented that created operational efficiencies across the board.

White Paper

A Tool for Modernizing the Grid

1898 & Co.

Patience has long been a virtue of those interested in connecting their distributed energy resources (DER) to the grid. Approval for these projects has been slow, with utilities lacking ways to identify feasibility and costs for interconnections. Hosting capacity analyses can solve for these challenges.

Blog

Interconnection Considerations for Solar Project Site Selection

Burns & McDonnell

Solar projects need more than sunshine to be successful. Chosen sites need to balance fuel generation, proximity to a transmission line and that line’s available capacity.

Project Profile

A Holistic Approach Helps Manage Interconnection Requests Efficiently

Burns & McDonnell

Managing the inflow of renewable generation interconnection applications was challenging a major utility. Proper planning, research, management of the engineering and construction of required interconnection facilities and associated network upgrades streamlined the process.

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ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING

No matter the task at hand, the range of regulations and permitting conditions required can be daunting. It’s important to partner with a team of professionals that has extensive experience with environmental studies, the permitting needs required by federal, state and local agencies, and construction and operational compliance monitoring.

Blog

Streamlining the Permitting Process: Integrated EPC for Renewable Projects

Burns & McDonnell

An integrated engineer-procure-construct (EPC) team provides the varied professional experience needed for long-term planning of utility-scale renewables.

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Blog

Geotechnical Studies Reveal Site Obstacles, Reduce Unknowns on Solar Projects

Burns & McDonnell

A successful solar project needs the sun, but nearly half of solar installation construction happens underground, meaning geotechnical studies can reveal information critical to budget and schedule.

Blog

Influencing Solar Regulations With Early Involvement

Burns & McDonnell

Early engagement in ordinance discussions requires thoughtful planning and can lead to more cost-effective, manageable solar power projects.

Blog

Balancing Farmland Protection With New Development

Burns & McDonnell

Increased awareness around farmland protection policies can mitigate delays in new development and create opportunities for cross-industry collaboration.

Blog

Providing Reliable Environmental Services: TVA’s Approach to NEPA

Burns & McDonnell

An experienced environmental partner can help developers work through NEPA’s regulatory effects on providing reliable renewable power to consumers.

Blog

Stakeholder Management: Unlock Renewable Generation Potential

Burns & McDonnell

Developers focus on collaboration with groups of stakeholders to be impacted by the transition to renewable generation and battery storage facilities.

Blog

The Changing Landscape of Solar Siting and Permitting

Burns & McDonnell

New technology and policies are changing the scenery of solar farms, but the changes in landscapes can bring additional siting challenges.

Blog

Meeting a New Benchmark: Environmental, Social and Governance Standards

Burns & McDonnell

Various industries are altering how to direct capital dollars to meet environmental, social and governance standards.

Blog

Why Sustainable Remediation Is Critical to Your ESG Approach

Burns & McDonnell

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics are standard requirements that drive investment criteria. Sustainable remediation offers many benefits.

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Wind

Wind power is complex. From grid planning and site layout to interconnection handoffs and capacity analysis, an integrated, experienced team can take the project through to completion.

White Paper

Preparing Wind Projects for the PTC Bubble

1898 & Co.

As the wind industry rapidly approaches the inevitable end of the Production Tax Credit, a significant backlog of projects is expected to come online in rapid succession. Developing, designing and building these projects will pose a major challenge to the industry.

Case Study

Empowering renewable energy to cross U.S.-Mexico border

1898 & Co.

Baja California in Mexico offers some of the strongest wind resources on the West Coast. For all the minute details involved in developing a major wind farm to help serve demand in nearby Southern California, Sempra and IEnova turned to us, a frequent partner on wind projects, for owner’s engineer services.

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OFFSHORE WIND

Offshore wind generation is rising in demand and becoming a strong player in a renewable generation portfolio. With experience in sourcing and fabricating equipment, producing and assembling steel, and implementing concrete and electrical components for these projects, we can partner with you to grow and expand your offshore wind initiatives.

Blog

Offshore Wind Supply Chain Requires a Collaborative Approach

The developing U.S. offshore wind market needs regional and national collaboration between supply chain stakeholders in order to meet clean energy goals.

Burns & McDonnell

Blog

Grid Stability Considerations for Successful Offshore Wind Projects

1898 & Co.

Demand and potential for offshore wind generation are huge. To execute properly, projects must identify and address offshore wind’s effect on grid stability.

White Paper

Charting a Course to Grid Stability: Offshore Wind Project Challenges and Solutions

Burns & McDonnell

As the number of offshore wind projects continues to grow, addressing grid interconnection challenges is critical for these systems to successfully fit in the evolving power grid. Maintaining system frequency and voltage stability while supplying sufficient short circuit current is key for offshore wind projects to achieve grid stability.

White Paper

Floating Foundations: The Next Frontier in Offshore Wind Power

Burns & McDonnell

Most offshore wind power generation projects to date have been developed in shallow ocean waters where foundation structures could be affixed to the ocean floor. However, the more powerful wind resources found above deeper coastal waters and farther out at sea have largely gone untapped. The development of new floating foundations may soon change that.

White Paper

Seven questions to consider for offshore wind transmission

1898 & Co.

The U.S. offshore wind market has potential to supply vast amounts of clean, renewable energy to millions of homes and businesses. Turning it into reality will involve addressing many challenges. Among them: convincing power industry stakeholders to agree on how to connect this offshore generation to the onshore electric grid.

White Paper

Lessons the U.S. Offshore Wind Market Can — and Can't — Learn from Europe

Burns & McDonnell

It’s estimated the U.S. has over 4,000 GW of offshore wind potential — four times the amount of electricity needed to power the country. Given Europe’s 15-year head start in this sector, U.S. developers might be tempted to take an identical approach. But it’s not that simple.

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Explore Additional Renewable Solutions

Hydrogen Use and Storage

Modernizing Hydro Control Systems

Comprehensive LNG Solutions

Renewable Fuels and Chemicals

Electrification

Overcome Intermittency With Reciprocating Engines