Recent solar tenders in the UK and Ireland show great promise, with almost 2 GW and 500 MW awarded respectively. However, it looks like there are some hurdles to clear before these projects can be delivered, as consultants from PSC point out five key challenges to overcome.
Published on December 22, 2023 by Angela Skujins
Dublin, Ireland.
Image:
Giuseppe Milo, Flickr
A team of PSC consultants highlighted over half a dozen issues that must be addressed for the successful delivery of recently tendered PV projects in Ireland and the UK.
The latest UK auction round saw nearly 2 GW of solar being tendered, with almost 500 MW awarded in Ireland. However, according to senior PSC consultant Grant McCormick and technical director Chris Smith, there’s a wide range of improvements needed – from regulation to project rollout – to ensure that the anticipated 2.5 GW can be effectively connected.
Among the issues highlighted is the continuously evolving “complexity” of the UK’s Grid Code compliance requirements. According to their report, developers need to be nimble and discern which changes are pertinent. One suggestion to remedy this is to hire a compliance manager well-versed in Grid Code regulations, and developers should ensure that their engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor is well-resourced and adaptable.
Developers are also advised to engage with key elements of the supply chain, providing detailed simulation models in a specific software application. This would offer proof that the model is “validated via factory acceptance tests or third-party testing” – not small matters for suppliers, as per the consultants.
Popular content
Another potential solution identified is to implement more power system simulation modeling. “The various components that make up the solar farm – the inverter, power park controller, transformer, and cabling, for instance – need to be modeled as a system against the performance requirements in the respective grid codes,” as mentioned in the analysis.
“For timely project delivery, developers must ensure compliance management is established as a key workstream starting from the earliest development phases and carrying on through to project delivery… Working with the right partner in the field can minimize costly delays to the start of operations.”
Last month, the Irish government stated that it was expecting to install 8 GW of solar by the end of 2023, a commitment put forth in the “Climate Action Plan 2023” last year. Meanwhile, according to UK government data published in September, there was almost 15 GW of solar PV installed as of June.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
