Small components. Big impact....3 11/7/2019 Stäubli - Small Components. Big Impact. PROJECT...
Transcript of Small components. Big impact....3 11/7/2019 Stäubli - Small Components. Big Impact. PROJECT...
Small components. Big impact.Cabling of PV installations – Key factors for a successful long-time reliability
Olivier E. Haldi, Global Business Development Alternative Energy, Headquarters Switzerland
Stäubli Group – three activities, four divisions
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> 125 years experience
> 270 GW PV connected
> 5500 employees in 29 countries
Formerly:
YOUR BANKABLE PARTNER
Cabling of PV system – You can’t manage the unknown
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PROJECT BANKABILITY
Lack of knowledge about eBOS components (cabling/ connectors) …
Component → technology, norms, materials, production processes
Installation → norms, tools, assembly instructions
… and/or their relevance for the long-term success of a PV system
Technical issues and their root cause
Consequences/ risk on efficiency (LCOE), profitability (ROI)
Resulting in: Cabling/ connector failures in PV systems
Failures and their financial impact
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PROJECT BANKABILITY – FIELD DATA
Solar Bankability project by European Commission’s Horizon 2020
Common practice for professional risk assessment to reduce risks for investments in PV projects
CPN (cost priority number) = cost-based failure mode and effects analysis(FMEA)
Method was applied to database of >1 million documented failure claims (empirical and statistical)
Technical failures/risks and their economic impact due downtime and/or power loss & repair/substitution costs
Indication of the economic risk (in average) of a specific technical risk
Cable & connector with huge financial impact → Euro/ kWp/ year loss due to the failure
Risk mitigation measures should be selected with an objective to minimize the LCOE by optimizing the balance between the CAPEX and OPEX
www.solarbankability.org
Why connectors can have this big impact
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PROJECT BANKABILITY – CONTACT RESISTANCE
Consequences:
Constant low contact resistance = Long-term reliability and efficiency
Component Quality – PV DC Connector
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O-RingCap Nut Plug Insulator Cap NutSealing Socket Insulator Metal Part Plug SealingMetal Part Socket
PROJECT BANKABILITY
PV DC Connector
Socket(marked «+» / female)
Plug (marked «-» / male)
MULTILAM
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Component Quality – Stäubli Technology: MULTILAM
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PROJECT BANKABILITY
Scale
TMin = 25°C
TMax = 45°C
MC4 (MULTILAM Technology)
Measurements acc. to IEC60512-5-1
Competitor Product (no MUTLILAM)
Component Quality – Contact Resistance
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PROJECT BANKABILITY
Initial measurements and after TCT/DHT Stable low contact resistance
Contact resistance / cycle
0.0
100.0
200.0
300.0
400.0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Number of cycles
Res
ista
nce
(m
icro
-Oh
m)
Crimp resistance / cycle
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000
Number of cycles
Res
ista
nce
(m
icro
-Oh
m)
10’000 cycles representing ~ 20 years!
OperationConstructionConception
Risks Sources - Impact on LCOE (Levelized Cost of Energy)
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PROJECT BANKABILITY – MAIN RISK SOURCES
+
Components
Installation
Financial and Safety Risk
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PROJECT BANKABILITY – FIELD DATA
Failure pattern
Broken/ burned connectors (cross-connection)
Consequences
Performance loss due to downtimes
Extra service/ repair cost
Original x Original Ø 1660,00 MΩ
Original x Original Ø 532 µΩ
Cross-Connection Ø 0,06 MΩ
Cross-Connection Ø 6841 µΩ
Norm value R > 400 MΩ
Initial value R Ø 530 µΩ
Contact Resistance
Site location: Europe
Size: 3000 strings
Operation: 5 years
Insulation Resistance