Our series “Solar Sightings” gives a behind the scenes look by highlighting case studies from the field.
Technician’s Log 2022-03 – Solar Microgrid Mishap
REGION: Midwest
REMOTE MONITORING FINDING: A programming issue with the SEL relay controlling the building’s solar microgrid system
SOLUTION: Technicians corrected the coding problem
Continental Energy Solutions’ O&M department is extremely savvy at troubleshooting and correcting solar array problems, but our expertise does not stop there. Our technicians are well versed in communications and controls equipment as well as battery storage systems.
During somewhat frequent outages, the client must maintain power to their facility to properly shutdown their equipment. Each incident results in a $250,000 loss. Choosing a microgrid solution provides resiliency and resolves the problem of bringing systems back online.
On a recent service call for a roof-mounted array problem, our technician learned that the array was part of an integrated solar microgrid system for the building. The issue the customer was experiencing was not with the array, but rather, it was a programming issue with the SEL relay controlling the building’s microgrid.
Our in-house engineers were consulted who created a testing procedure to conduct a complete microgrid system functionality test. The test revealed a code loophole that was preventing the microgrid from operating properly. Our O&M technicians corrected the coding problem and were able to put the microgrid back into operation.
Takeaways:
Our expertly trained engineers and technicians can diagnose problems with components and the specialized equipment that runs complex microgrids. Protecting your bottom line is what our expertise boils down to.
Optimizing Microgrids ensures you make the most of the benefits:
- Maintain operations during utility outages
- Operate independently from the utility
- Revenue generation via selling power back to utility, wholesale capacity, and ancillary services
- Operational savings via self consumption during peak energy pricing
Contact us for our expertise in handling a wide array solar system problems with solutions that optimize systems for production and prevent downtime. From ground mounts to solar microgrid systems, we have your bottom line covered.