Harness the Power of Renewables With an Integrated EPC Approach

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

Solar power is a leading form of renewable energy, and the industry is continuing to expand in the United States and globally. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, in 2020, a new solar project was installed every 75 seconds, with solar comprising 43% of all new energy generating capacity. Bloomberg predicts by 2050, 50% of the world’s energy needs will be met by renewable energy, with solar leading the way.

Energy providers around the world are accelerating efforts to expand renewable energy generation. Utility-scale solar and wind projects are necessary to achieve ambitious carbon emission reduction goals and environmental, social and governance targets. While many federal, state and local government programs are incentivizing strong growth in renewable projects, the industry cannot overlook the importance of long-term planning for renewable generation at this scale to support efficient and responsible project development.

The renewables market offers great opportunities for utilities to develop and incorporate low-cost clean energy into their generation mix. However, with some of these financial benefits come tax and accounting headaches.

As boards and executives in companies, like those in the petrochemical and mining industries, continue to adopt carbon reduction goals, operations personnel are finding themselves responsible for implementing projects to achieve them. While this can be overwhelming new territory, especially as solar developers come knocking, operators need to understand the value their sites already possess — and how that value can be leveraged to maximize returns.

Today’s dynamic power industry demands flexible, efficient electricity generation — fundamentals that have been tested as the industry adapts its infrastructure to achieve ambitious renewable energy goals. System reliability remains paramount as the environmental and economic benefits of renewable generation stimulate rapid growth of renewables in the power generation mix.

Airline passengers would never want their pilot to be blinded by reflected light as the landing aircraft is approaching the runway. The same concern would apply to air traffic controllers in their tower, directing traffic across an entire airport and in the sky around it. Vision is essential to safety, and unexpected glare can take that away.

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.

Finding ways to store renewable energy to support decarbonization, such as with lithium-ion batteries, is increasingly important in the power industry. However, unlike power plants that generate for more than 50 years, lithium-ion batteries have a relatively short life span: 15-20 years. As the energy storage market continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, so will the volume of lithium-ion batteries reaching the ends of their lives. We need to immediately start considering what to do when those times come.

System operators are increasingly exploring opportunities to update or replace existing black start assets with battery storage technology. Before implementing a battery energy storage system (BESS) to support black start capabilities, operators should take into account both the benefits and some BESS-specific considerations.

Energy storage is transforming the power industry, and lithium-ion battery technology is a dominating driving force. But with the pace of change, it remains to be seen whether lithium-ion will remain in the lead over the long-term. Burns & McDonnell Energy Storage Director Chris Ruckman explains.

Energy storage systems are being installed to meet a variety of electrical grid challenges that are mostly related to the growth in installations of renewables.