Intuitive Engineering: Illumine-i’s Solution for Enhanced Project Efficiency

A well-managed solar project involves paying close attention to the system specifications and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Engineers with a deep understanding of such ins and outs play a pivotal role in navigating nuances and ensuring project success.

With that context, here is an important case study that illustrates engineers proposing a better technical configuration, to meet the client's requirements. This not only achieved client satisfaction, but also ensured seamless alignment with NEC standards, highlighting our expertise in engineering.

Efficiency Overhaul

In a recent project, the client initially engaged Growatt, a leading inverter manufacturer to size a solar energy system, with a DC to AC Ratio of 2.1. Based on the request, Growatt provided a preliminary proposal.

After examining the proposal prior to design, Illumine-i suggested performance optimizations in the client’s interest. The recommendation was to design a system with a lower DC-to-AC Ratio (viz. below 1.3) to minimize clipping.

This adjustment not only enhanced the system's performance for the client, but also yielded amore favorable Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE).

Aligning with Norms

In the same project, complexities arose as the client sought to create a hybrid system by referencing the Growatt inverter manufacturer's user manual. However, discrepancies were noted when cable sizes specified in the manual did not align with NEC Standards.

In response, Illumine-i initiated prompt communication with inverter manufacturer, highlighting the issue. Subsequently, the manufacturer’s R&D team reassessed their recommendations as per NEC standards, acknowledging the undersized cable specifications. They assured that their inverters would comply with NEC protocols, including cable size requirements.  

Furthermore, the manufacturer committed to revising the recommended cable sizes in the draft version of their user manual, ensuring alignment with NEC standards.

Key Takeaways

Instances like these underscore the collaborative approach by Illumine-i in addressing project intricacies. Through effective communication and engagement with partners, Illumine-i remains committed to delivering solutions that not only meet but exceed industry standards, thereby ensuring the success of complex solar projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is solar curtailment in Australia?

Solar curtailment occurs when generators are required to reduce output due to grid constraints, despite available solar resource. In the National Electricity Market, this is typically driven by congestion, voltage limits, and system security requirements set by Australian Energy Market Operator.

2. Why is solar curtailment increasing in the NEM?

Renewable capacity is growing faster than transmission infrastructure. Many regional networks were designed to serve demand, not export generation, creating bottlenecks as new solar connects.

3. Can battery storage reduce solar curtailment?

Yes, but only when properly designed. Co-located BESS can reduce curtailment by absorbing excess generation and reshaping exports, provided it is engineered around local network constraints rather than generic assumptions.

4. What is Hybrid Energy Yield Assessment (Hybrid EYA)?

Hybrid EYA models solar, battery storage, load, and grid constraints as a single integrated system. It captures real-time interactions that conventional, sequential energy modelling misses.

5. Which regions in Australia experience the highest curtailment?

Curtailment is most severe in constrained regional zones, particularly western New South Wales, north-west Victoria, and parts of South Australia, where congestion and voltage limits are already binding.

6. How can battery charging contribute to curtailment?

During peak solar periods, high battery charging can increase local voltage, reducing allowable export capacity. If the battery fills too early, it may be unavailable when curtailment risk is highest.

7. What is the difference between structural and recoverable curtailment?

Structural curtailment is driven by persistent transmission limits and requires network upgrades. Recoverable curtailment arises from operational constraints and can often be mitigated through storage design and control strategy.

8. How accurate is Hybrid EYA compared to traditional modelling?

Hybrid EYA provides materially higher accuracy in constrained networks by explicitly modelling voltage limits, export constraints, and battery state-of-charge dynamics that standard yield assessments ignore.

9. When should Hybrid EYA be used?

Hybrid EYA is essential when export limits are below peak generation, networks are voltage-constrained, or battery sizing and control materially affect curtailment and revenue.

10. Will transmission upgrades eliminate curtailment in Australia?

Transmission upgrades will help in the medium term, but they won’t arrive fast enough for projects being developed today. Curtailment risk must be managed through intelligent system design in the interim.