International PV experts gather in San Jose Nov 30 –Dec 1 to discuss how to drive down LCOE and boost MW output through improved balance of systems engineering

The PV industry might have expanded very rapidly in the residential and commercial market, but now the utility market has opened it is a different ball game with new rules to abide by. Firstly the market is intensely competitive with current and new players fighting for the same projects and resources. Secondly every cent per kilowatt hour is scrutinised and is the key factor in getting a project off the ground.

The Challenge

To stand out from the crowd and companies have to develop technical strategies that drives down the LCOE of a plant but maintains high efficiency. With PV module prices stabilising, it means quick fix cuts to lower the LCOE cannot be easily achieved. Also it is undesirable to have utility scale plants that use poor quality components that cause inefficiencies in harvested energy and increased plant down time from extra operations and maintenance.

Also, utilities willingness to incorporate more solar in portfolio means that securing PPAs is no longer the challenge it used to be, but instead the hard bit comes when ensuring the plant performs to terms of the agreement.

The Solution

There are some companies in the US and Europe that has been in the PV business for many years and has experience in designing, engineering and constructing the largest PV plants in the world. Also instrumental to the a plant’s efficiency are the component manufactures that have developed innovative products that reduce efficiency loss, whether it by from the inverter, wiring, interconnection, mounting or trackers, the list is endless.

However for the first time all this expertise will be contained in one room for 2 days in San Jose at the Utility Scale PV Yield Optimization Conference and Expo on November 30 – December 1. Top speakers presenting include; Fotowatio Renewable Ventures, EnXco, Sun Power, Juwi Solar, Phoenix Solar, Southern California Edison, PV Powered, Satcon, SMUD and many more. Heidi Hafes, Event Director of the event said ‘this event is a melting pot of experience from the international PV market, and we are really excited to have a US partner, the Rocky Mountain Institute and a European partner the Leonardo Energy Group, who have helped shape the agenda to reflect the needs of the PV community, making this a must attend event for those serious about large scale PV plants.’

If you like to find out more information about the event or meet with these experts visit

http://www.csptoday.com/pvbalanceofsystems/

Contact

Heidi Hafes
CSP Today
+ 44 207 375 7206 / 1800 814 3459 ext 206
heidi@csptoday.com