dragonfly solar ep4-29...• dragonfly solar completed construction of a 979.2 kw dc, 720 kw ac...
TRANSCRIPT
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Dragonfly Solar EP4-29 New Solar facility added to existing wind farm in Dodge Center, MN
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Introduction
• Dragonfly Solar completed construction of a 979.2 kWDC, 720 kWAC solar photovoltaic Project which began commercial operations on September 11, 2018.
• Project funding provided by customers of Xcel Energy through a grant from the Renewable Development Fund.
• Power is being supplied to NSP through a Solar Energy Purchase Agreement
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Project Goals and Objectives
• Demonstrate Improvements in infrastructure efficiency
• Increase aggregate production that is closer to firm capability
• Increase knowledge of construction techniques
• Reduce interconnection costs
• Help increase market penetration of distributed generation
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Project Description
• Capacity: 979.2 kW/DC, 720 kW/AC
• (2,880) 340 watt PV modules, (12) 60 kW inverters
• Connected to 34.5kV collection system from the wind farm
• Built on an abandoned railroad right away
• 1,650’ x 75’8”
• Fixed tilt Unirac racking system on driven piers
• Power delivered to NSP through existing 69kV transmission line
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Overview of site
The array is located on an abandoned railroad right away
adjacent to the McNeilus wind farm.
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Site selction
• Privately owned abandoned railroad right away • Required a variance from set back restrictions from Dodge County • Zoning board was appreciative that we didn’t compete with agricultural interests • Created no hardships for the neighbors
• Required creative design and construction techniques • Managing drainage • Electrical design • Minimizing the impact from shading • Creative work flow
• Connecting with transmission system • Close proximity to AC line • Reduce scope and cost of MISO study
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Permitting and Legal Agreements • Conditional Use Permit
• Variance from Setback
• Zoning Permit
• MISO Interconnection Agreement Amendment
• NPDES
• Electrical Permit
• Solar Power Purchase Agreement
• Amended Generator Interconnection Agreement
• Land Lease
• Transmission and Interconnection Agreement
• Construction Agreements
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Site Design and Construction techniques
• Proximity of Wind Turbines • Shadows • Ice shedding
• Grading • Retaining existing water flow • Not affecting neighboring land
• Construction flow • Working in Zones • De-watering • Staging equipment
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Before Construction
The array is located on an former railroad bed which
served as a service drive for the McNeilus wind farm.
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Initial Grading
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Staging
Work was performed in zones. Here staging is begun for the first zone.
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Zone 1 completed
Racking, underground electric and modules installed in 1st zone.
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Water Diversion
• Here the trench that runs throughout the array is temporarily used to divert storm water from a work zone. It was later de-watered and back-filled to accommodate electrical conduit.
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Equipment area before and after water control procedures.
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Array Design
• Racking • Unirac GMT • Pier Driven
• Modules - Heliene
• Inverters – Chint Power Systems
• String Design • String layout • Multiple Maximum Power Point tracking
• Voltage drop considerations
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Project Benefits
• Doesn’t compete with agricultural interests
• Demonstrates construction techniques to keep construction costs down
• Non-traditional site use • Increases the supply of sites suitable for distributed generation • Increase affordability by increasing the supply of sites
• Reduce project cost and complexity by co-locating and utilizing existing wind infrastructure and interconnection agreements
• Increase supply of On-peak energy
• Environmental benefits
• Economic benefits
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Lessons learned
• Construction techniques for non-traditional sites • Shared Interconnection and infrastructure • Project timing
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Usefulness of Project Findings
• Using non-traditional sites can increase the supply of sites for solar generation facilities • The increased supply of sites can exert downward pressure on project costs • Reduce the cost of generation from solar
• Reduce amount of agricultural lands taken out of production for generation
• Increase market penetration of distributed generation • Shared interconnection will make more projects viable • Increases the efficiency of existing infra structure • Increased availability of suitable sites and downward pressure on pricing will lead to more developers able to participate
in the market
• Combining wind and solar makes the over all output more predictable and benefits grid managers
• Foster good relationships with local jurisdictions and the community by taking less crop land away from other uses