Diversifying a PV Installation Business

Michael Middlemast

Business Development Manager for Renewables

World Leading Electrical Test Equipment from Seaward Seaward has over 70 years experience in the design manufacture of market-leading electrical test equipment. Seaward’s unrivalled range of electrical test equipment serves a wide variety of safety testing and precision measurement applications. For 25 years Seaward has been developing market-defining portable appliance testers, software and accessories for the PAT testing market. The Cropico and Clare ranges of precision instruments and industrial electrical test equipment bolster Seaward’s product offering and demonstrate the result of 70 years of technical expertise across a number of industries including manufacturing, utilities and aerospace. The market-defining range of solar PV test equipment makes meeting IEC 62446 and other PV test and documentation requirements faster, safer and easier. From solar site-survey to commissioning tests, PV system maintenance and PV system certification, Seaward Solar has it covered.

The PV Market Life Cycle

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New Opportunities

Diversify to Maintain

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You have a list of all the PV installations you have done…

You have a wealth of transferable resources…

The equipment and software required for you to diversify is accurate, user friendly and cost effective.

You have a wealth of transferable skills…

Diversify to Sustain

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Market Potential Number of installs in your catchment area Do you have a record of your previous clients and installations? Is there an appetite for your services?

Financial Feasibility

Is the market large enough to justify your diversification? New capital or can you divert funds from another part of the business?

Legislative Barriers To Entry

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Evaluate policy and legislative barriers!

The renewable energy sector is heavily dependant on government lead subsidies. Ramping up your business to take on board an emerging technology is high risk if the legislation is not set in stone. When working in the operations and maintenance space, standards and policy also.

Analyse The Competition

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Identify your competitors

Determine their goals

Identify their strategies and tactics

Assess their strengths and weaknesses

Estimate their reactivity/hostility

Determine which to attack and to avoid

Sales And Marketing Strategies

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A full physical inspection of the PV array including roof fixings, cabling, module integrity and inverter functionality. A full electrical inspection of the PV array including an open circuit voltage test, short circuit current test, insulation resistance test and IV curve trace. An energy efficiency survey of the property and its occupant’s energy use.

“Good evening Sir/Madam, this is X Solar you may remember us we installed your system X years ago. We would like to talk with you briefly about the health of your PV system. Did you know there are several external factors that could effect it’s efficiency?”

A solar PV health check…

O&M Packages

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Ten Reasons To Test

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Seaward PV150 Solar Test Kit

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• Removes the risk of arcing during short circuit

current testing

• Removes the risk of damaging PV modules

during insulation testing, when applying voltages

of up to 1000V

• Automatically checks that Voc and Isc of strings

are within 5% of string averages (IEC 62446)

• Conducts all electrical safety testing faster and

more completely than traditional methods

• Reports can then be created with Solar Cert

software

• The most popular PV diagnostic tool currently

on the market

PV200 Test Kit

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Features:

Memory for up to 999 test results

Lightweight, handheld and fast, accurate testing

Simple push button operation

All-in-one commissioning tests and I-V curve tracing, in

accordance with international standards IEC 62446 and IEC

61829

Instantly view detailed I-V curves in the field using the

Android PVMobile App

Instantly send data from the field back to the office using

Android PVMobile App

Tests individual PV modules or strings

Clear results display, even in direct sunlight

Wirelessly receives irradiance and temperature

measurements from Survey 200R

Compatible with SolarCert Elements v2 software

Comprehensive Solar PV testing…

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Electrical/Analysis Test Functions:

I-V curve tracing, in accordance with IEC 61829

Earth/ground continuity

Insulation resistance (auto short circuit test and point-to-point)

Voltage measurement

Open circuit voltage up to 1000VDC

Maximum power point voltage up to 1000VDC

Short circuit current up to 15ADC

Maximum power point current up to 15ADC

Fill factor

Operating current (using supplied current clamp)

DC power

The Next Generation of PV Diagnostics

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Electrical/Analysis Test Functions

I-V curve tracing, in accordance with IEC 61829

Earth/ground continuity

Insulation resistance (auto short circuit test and point-to-point)

Voltage measurement

Open circuit voltage up to 1000VDC

Maximum power point voltage up to 1000VDC

Short circuit current up to 15ADC

Maximum power point current up to 15ADC

Fill factor

Operating current (using supplied current clamp)

DC power

The Benefits of I-V Curve Tracing in Solar PV Webinar Sessions Available

A unique irradiance meter with added features such as a digital compass, inclinometer and thermometer. A great tool for site surveying, commissioning and an integral part of the I-V curve tracing process.

• Irradiance (in W/m2 or BTU/hr-ft2)

• Roof orientation and pitch

• Ambient and panel temperature (in °C or °F)

• Complete with a on board datalogging mode for 5000 records

Highly accurate measurement of irradiance using a monocrystalline PV cell – more accurate than using a photodiode

Suitable for both photovoltaic and solar thermal installations

Compare system performance against long-term irradiance variation

Solar Survey 200R

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Solar Cert Elements V2.0

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Easily create site reports and analyse curve data. Organise by plant hierarchy and compare multiple strings at once

Thank you

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