Rosendin Electric, the nation’s largest employee-owned electrical contracting company, announced a software launch partnership today with Raptor Maps to capture PV module (solar panel) serial numbers for a 300+ MW PV system under construction. Dozens of users simultaneously used Raptor Maps software on their smartphones to scan nearly 1 million serial numbers directly into a digital twin.
Rapid Data Capture Efficiency
One of dozens of technicians populating the digital twin with supply chain data.
Users achieved scanning speeds of less than 2 seconds per module. Up to 27 users were on site and scanning simultaneously, and both individual and daily progress was instantaneously reported. The digital twin was populated in real-time on users’ smartphones and synced whenever a data connection was established. The modules for this utility-scale site were supplied by a Bloomberg NEF (BNEF) Tier 1 manufacturer, and data was validated against supplied documentation.
“At Rosendin Electric we continually leverage innovative solutions to meet our strategic goals, and those of our customers,” notes Manuel Rosabal, Director of Engineering. “Software that improves supply chain transparency, exceeds owner requirements, and enables efficient handoff between construction and operations is critical. Ultimately, this helps us deliver a high-quality renewable energy asset while maximizing returns for our partners.
” The move comes at a time when, according to SEIA and Wood Mackenzie, the US solar industry will continue to break solar installation records for at least the next 3 years. Rosendin’s Renewable Energy Group (RREG) has recently been awarded a number of high-profile contracts, including partnerships with SB Energy and Tokyo Gas America to build some of the largest solar installations in California and Texas.
“The inspiration for Raptor Solar and the serial number scanning feature came out of our work with O&M providers and module manufacturers that strive to accurately track and mitigate degradation,” explains Nikhil Vadhavkar, Raptor Maps’ co-founder and CEO. “We realized that it made sense to provide software to store the high-quality records that EPCs like Rosendin generate during the construction process, as opposed to the labor-intensive process of recreating these records years later.”
A recent report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) details the record-low prices for renewable energy, which is helping to fuel solar’s explosive growth. As the power sector continues to transform, renewable energy asset owners are operators are under pressure to meet and exceed forecasted project finance models. By partnering with customer-centric EPCs such as Rosendin, owners are finding a cost-effective way prioritize asset records and de-risk the construction and operation of a project.
Next steps
From the civil engineering on your site down to the wiring on the back of your panels, the Raptor Solar platform provides you detailed, up-to-date data on the conditions and performance of your solar fleet so that your team has the intel they need to do their jobs effectively, quickly, and safely.
