Lesson learn for writing this project

Project Objective and Approach

Kilowatt Inc.'s main objective for this projectis to design and execute a new distributed solar power system capable of delivering power to 1000 homes. This project will include a new power infrastructure that is capable suppling power to a residential neighborhood and compatible with the main power grid. Part of the functional specifications is a system that will be efficient, scalable, and can sell the surplus of electricity back to the power company. This system will have solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity and store the electricity using batteries. The system will be automated using industrial control systems such as PLC, RTAC, SCADA, and IEDs. If there is an emergency with the automated portion the system can switch over to manual control or have power feed from utilities network.

Significance and Scope of the Work

The distributed solar power system project is designed and implemented by Kilowatt Inc will provide clean energy and sustainable power to 1000 homes. This project will align with the newgreen energy push by using solar as the main power source. Renewable energy will help save the environment and create new jobs for the local economy. This project will lower the carbon footprint and move off fossil fuels. This project will benefit the residents in several ways. The environmental impact will be low because of solar energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The economic impact will be for the customers having lower energy bills and the potential for rebates. The technological advancements be an automated system that's integrating the latest industry 4.0 standards such as remote monitoring, data analytics, and high availability. The energy reliability will be high because the residents will not have to rely on the power grid for energy by minimizing vulnerabilities from outages. The project scope will be to design and execute a distributed solar power system to 1000 residential homes. The system deployment will be designed for residential homes as this will allow the residential dwelling to become energy producers. This system will be scalable for a larger network if required by connecting new microgrid system. The system will use batteries that can hold enough power capacity to energize the homes for several days if the sunlight is not efficient enough. The system will be fully automated and integrated into cloud computing services to allow for remote monitoring and predictive maintenance. The operations team will have the option to run the system in manual if the automated portion fails. When the system is over capacity or low demand the residents can sell the obsessive energy back to power utility companies. This will allow the residents to become power suppliers.

Project Proposal

The project proposal will describe the plan for designing a distributed solar power system for 1000 residential homes. The stakeholder for the project includes homeowners, power utilities,and local politicians. The main goal of the project is to provide sustainable clean energy that is scalable for expansion in the future. This will address the energy needs of the residents and system designed for future growth. The installation requirements for this system will require a straightforward intuitive system that's not over complicated and standardized on latest recommendations from united states department of energy. The power network will be scalable for future production. The energy storage capabilities will require homes to maintain power when solar production is low such as weather, nighttime, and sessional changes. The operational modes for distributed solar systems will need automatic and manual mode. Excessive energy will be stored and sold to the local utility company to provide a revenue stream for residents. The system will have remote monitoring capabilities such as automated software for cloud computing applications and condition monitoring. Data management software such as data historians for data analytical analyzing tools to optimize system performance. Since the system will have cloud computing emergency notifications will be incorporated to alert residents and operations when power goes down.

Requirements Analysis and Concept of Operations Reports

The requirements analysis for the distributed solar power system project will require determination of user's expectation for this new system. This system's requirements will be quantified and detailed in what specifications the stakeholders require for a end project. The system requirements are the following:

• Stakeholder Identification
  • This requires identifying with all stakeholders and having a clear understanding of each expectation, concerns, and requirements. This will be conducting surveys and workshops with residents, power utilities and local politicians. A matrix will be developed to determine the power of each stakeholder, their influence, and involvement.
• Needs Assessment
  • A power study will be conducted to determine the needs of residents for the distributed solar power system. The assessment will consider peak demands such as time-of-day demands when the residents will put a heavy load on the system. Seasonal demand will vary depending on temperatures outside that could affect the load demand such as electrical heaters and air condition units. A needs assessment of different modes of operation will be determined after the power study.
• User Requirements
  • This requires meetings and brainstorming sessions to document functional and non-functional requirements. The system capabilities will have to be explored such as automation, high availability, and redundancy. The system's performance will need to be evaluated. The users will discuss specific needs and expectations. For this system the following user's requirements are needed:
    • The system will be designed for residential use.
    • The system will be fully automated and integrated.
    • The system will have to have manual control if the automation portion fails.
    • The system will have the capability to feed the local utility company.
    • Local and remote monitoring.
    • Data historian to record data and integrated into cloud services including. local authorities' access.
• Impact Assessment
  • Analyze all requirements for this impact and create an impact analysis based on cost, impact, and benefits to maximize resources.
    • Assess the environmental impact of installing solar distributed power systems including the local wildlife.
    • Assess the benefits of supplying excess power to local utilities.
    • Are there any long lead times on construction material and the potential impact to delay the project.
    • Based on the gnat chart how much float is available for future issues.
    • Are all permits up to date and any potential new regulations coming that can potentially delay the project.
• Concept of Operations
  • The concept of operations will define how the distributed solar power system will function. This defines how the system will be installed for maximum operation use, maintenance, and operating in emergency situations.
    • The system will be installed in the area to maximize the sunlight.
    • There will be a SCADA system installed so operators can remotely monitor the system.
    • All instrumentation data will be historized and analyzed for predictive maintenance.
    • The system will be fully automated on control using a PLC to regulate the power system and generate any necessary alarms.
    • If the system goes into failure mode, the operator will have the option to run in manual control.
• Validation
  • The user requirements and concept of operations will be validated by all stakeholders to ensure accuracy and requirements are met.
    • Residents will validate can the system maintain at peak demand
    • Residents will validate any obstruction to accessing properties.
    • Residents will validate system alerts for potential power outages.
    • Residents will validate the system is safe for the local environment
    • Operations will validate the system runs in automatic and meet peak demands.
    • Operations will validate the data that is historically logged and sent to the cloud.
    • Operations will validate battery compacity.
    • Operations will validate can the system run in manual mode.
    • Local politicians will validate that all regulatory requirements are met.
    • Local politicians will validate all stakeholders are satisfied with the outcome.
    • Local politicians will validate the economic impact.

Concept of Operations

The overall mission for thissystem is to provide a distributed solar power system designed by Kilowatt Inc. The system will power 1000 homes by solar energy providing the residents with green powered energy following the latest guidelines from the department of energy. The CONOPS will assist stakeholders identifying how the system will be operated and maintained, and identifying RACI chart (Responsibility, Accountability, Consult, and Inform). A high-level system concept will be defined and alternatives such as grid power from utility companies. The validation criteria will be defined.

• Stakeholders Expectations
  • Residents
• The residentsexpect a reliable system that will provide clean green energy from solar powered distributed system. If the system is at peak storage capacity and has a projected weak demand, then the extra energy should be fed to the local power utility company to prevent waste of energy and provide rebates for the residents. This system will be supplying power at a reduced cost compared to using the local utility company.
• Power Utilities Companies
  • The system will be required to be integrated into the main power grid. The excess power stored from the battery storage should have the capacity to supply power into the main power grid.
• Local Politicians
  • The actions for this system are to support energy independence from the existing power grid and generate electricity as an ecofriendly alternative. The excess clean energy will be fed into the power grid.
• System Capabilities
  • Residential Infrastructure
    • The system will be designed to be energy efficient and meet the needs of all residents based on power requirements. This could be based on power study. The wiring infrastructure will include underground conduits in populated areas and above headlines for 13kv. Stepdown transformers will be underground for 13kv to 120/240v residential power supply.
• Modular Network Infrastructure
  • The 1000 homes required for distributed power will be subdivided into modules for future expansion. There will be spare taps placed in each section to expand the 13kv or 120/240. This could include integrating new homes into that section or expanding 13kv for a new modular unit.
• Battery Capacity
  • The battery capacity will initially be designed to handle 1000 homes during peak times in the day and seasonal demands. When the sunlight isn't at its optimum there should be enough storage capacity for several days as a backup.
• Mode of Operation
  • The system will automate and integrate with the latest technology available on the market. This includes machine learning capabilities of knowing when to charge the batteries based on residents demands, seasonal changes and current energy capacity. When an issue arises, the system will have the capability to be placed in manual mode for maintenance and operations.
• Power Grid Integration
  • The power grid will be integrated into the distributed solar power system. There will be an automatic transfer switch that will switch to feed excess power into the main power grid. The excess power will be sold back to the utility company allowing residents to receive rebates.
• Use Case Scenarios
  • Time of Day Controls for Daytime Operation
    • Devices and Personal: Residents, Process Automated Controller for Solar Power, and Power Grid
    • Conditions: The sunlight output is at peak capacity and the solar system is active and in auto.
    • Sequence of Events
      • Solar panels are converting sunlight into electricity.
      • The Real Time Automation Controller is monitoring the power output to residential homes.
      • The excess energy that's not in use is stored in the battery banks.
      • After batterie capacity reaches 100% all excess energy after that is fed into the utility power grid to generate rebate credits for the residents.
      • Operations continue to monitor the system using SCADA while the residents can monitor using mobile apps.
  • Time of Day Controls for Low sunlight or Night Operations
    • Devices and Personal: Residents, Process Automated Controller for Solar Power, and Battery Storage, and Energy Machine Learning Application.
    • Conditions: Its cloudy outside so the sunlight output is low or nighttime condition, and the solar system is active and in auto.
    • Sequence of Events
      • Solar panels are converting electricity to a low output or not converting.
      • The Real Time Automation Controller is monitoring the power output to residential homes.
      • If the energy machine learning application determines its daytime with low sunlight output, then it will be determined to conserve power at the battery power banks or nighttime and no sunlight output then regulate power output (process automation controller) to the resident homes to conserve power on the battery storage banks.
      • If maintenance is required, then switch the system to manual to allow maintenance to perform corrective maintenance, send out an alert to residents and switch back to automatic once completed.
      • Operations continue to monitor the system using SCADA while the residents can monitor using mobile apps.
• Diagram
  • Subsystem Allocation

Functional Analysis

The distributed solar power system is structured to meet the requirements for a functional analysis that will be broken down into subsystems. These subsystems are energy storage, charge controls, energy monitoring, and battery management.

• Solar ArrayPanel Subsystem
  • The solar panels will be grouped together into a row with each row representing 10 panels.
  • These panels will be systematically arranged in an area to maximize the sunlight.
  • The solar panels will generate a DC voltage that will require inverters to convert to AC.
• Energy Storage Subsystem
  • The battery banks will be interconnected to generate the required voltage and ampacity for 1000 homes.
  • The battery material will be made of Lithium-ion will handle the charging and discharging required to meet solar panel specifications.
• Networking Subsystems
  • Each installationincluding battery storage bank control, solar panel banks, inverters, and power monitoring devices will require networking infrastructure to communicate with each other.

• Monitoring and Reporting Subsystem
  • This subsystem will handle all data collection, and reports required for any regulatory agencies.
  • A data historian will be implemented to collect all data points.
  • Cloud integration will be implemented and will have a connection to the data historian for cloud computing applications.
• Software Requirements
  • Data Monitoring
• Real time data analysis of all data for operations to monitor and analyze any potential issues.
• Data will be monitored remotely through approved software applications.
  • Data Storage and Analysis
    • Machine learning applications to handle vast amounts of data and execute operational optimization.
• Regulatory Reporting
  • Local regulatoryagencies will have access to the applications related to any reports generated for environmental purposes.
    • Emergency Handling
      • An applicationwill be implemented to send out emergency alerts to residents and local emergency agencies for various emergency situations.

• System Validation and Testing
  • Each subsystem will be simulated and tested independently to meet all specified requirements.
  • Once all specified requirements are met the entire system will be tested as one complete system under real life scenarios such as emergency events, high usage demand, and low sunlight output.

Trade-Off Study Report

The trade-off study will execute market alternatives for a distributed solar power system and infrastructure required to power 1000 homes for the residents of this township. The key stakeholders for setting the criteria are local politicians, residents, and power utility companies. The study will evaluate the technical criteria, program decisions, and technical risk associated with installation, maintenance and operations.

• Objectives
  • Installation:Thesolar power system will need to be compatible for a residential dwelling. The system will need to meet all federal and local regulatory laws and standards for residential.
  • Networking: The solar power system will need to have a robust networking infrastructure. This networking infrastructure will require high availability and compatibility to be networked with all subsystems including all industrial networking protocols.
  • Operation Modes: The system will have the capability to be operated in manual and automatic mode. The mode of operation should have the option to be controlled locally or remotely.
  • Sales to Utilities: The solar power system will have the capability to feed into the main power grid. This includes supplying excessive power to the power utility company.
• Software Objectives
  • Monitoring: The system will have the capability to be locally and remotely monitored. This requires the ability to be integrated with cloud computing applications such as SCADA application. The monitoring will include all subsystems with a highly reliable networking infrastructure that monitors electrical power generation and system performance.
  • Data Management: The system will store and analyze power generation to optimize operations and power storage. This system will maintain data in cloud storage and temporarily locally if internet service provider network is down.
  • Regulatory Reporting: The system will be reporting software such as dream reports. Federal and local regulatory agencies will have access to this data through the means of cloud applications that generate required reports and real time regulatory data.
  • Emergency Management: The system will have the capabilities to send out alerts for emergencies to operations, and local emergency responders. The alerts will provide enough detailed information for appropriate parties so they will know how to respond to the specific situation.

• System Alternatives
  • Alternative A: Photovoltaic(PV) solar panels with Lithium-Ion battery Storage.
• Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels with Lithium-Ion battery storage combine solar energy generation with energy storage, allowing for the use of solar power even when the sun isn't shining. This system maximizes the use of solar energy and provides backup power during grid outages.
  • Alternative B: Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) with Molten Salt Storage.
    • Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) with molten salt storage is a technology that uses mirrors to focus sunlight onto a central receiver, where heat is transferred to molten salt. This heated molten salt can then be stored for later use, enabling electricity generation even when the sun is not shining. This allows CSP plants to operate more reliably and consistently, like traditional power plants.
  • Alternative C: Thin-Flim Solar Panels with Flow battery Storage.
    • Thin-film solar panels are solar panels constructed using thin layers of semiconductor materials deposited onto a substrate, rather than traditional silicon wafers. Flow batteries provide a method to store energy generated by these panels, enabling consistent power output even when sunlight is limited.
• Criteria for Evaluation
  • Cost: The cost forinstallation, maintenance, and operating. This includes cost for construction such as infrastructure materials, subsystems, and labor for installation. Maintenance man hours for maintain the system, part cost, and availability of parts. Operating the system will require number of operators and required hours to run the system.
  • Efficiency: The system efficiency will be factored in such system performance and converting the solar energy into consumable energy.
  • Scalability: The system will need to be compatible with all subsystems and future systems that will be integrated based on expansion or new incoming technologies.
  • Regulatory Compliance: All local and federal codes will need to meet with any new solar system.
  • Sustainability: The system will have a low impact on the environment and resource utilization.
• Weighting of Criteria
  • The scaling of criteria is based on 0-100.
    • Cost: 20
    • Efficiency: 25
    • Scalability: 15
    • Reliability: 20
    • Regulatory Compliance: 10
    • Sustainability: 10
• Scoring and Comparative Analysis (based on 0-10 grading scale).
  • Alternative A: Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Panels with Lithium-Ion Batter Storage.
    • Cost Score: 9
      • The initialcost of Lithium-Ion batteries is significant, but the maintenance cost is very low. The installation cost will be low since the subsystems are straight forward and don't require any advance skills in installation.
    • Efficiency: 9
      • PVsolar panels are made up of many solar cells, typically made of silicon. These cells convert sunlight directly into electricity through the photovoltaic effect. When sunlight hits the cells, it excites electrons, generating direct current (DC) electricity.
    • Scalability: 8
      • The battery technology used is designed to be scalable and integrated into more battery banks if needed.
    • Reliability: 9
      • Lithium-ion batteries include a BMS that monitors and manages the energy flow into and out of the batteries. The BMS ensures safe operation by preventing overcharging or deep discharging, which can damage the batteries.
    • Regulatory Compliance: 9
      • Recycling lithium-ion batteries helps recover valuable materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, which can be used to make new batteries.
    • Sustainability: 9
      • Using solar energy reduces reliance on fossil fuels and decreases greenhouse gas emissions.
• Alternative B: Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) with Molten Salt Storage.
  • Cost Score: 5
    • The system uses the combination of sunlight, heat conversion and electricity generation to create the required power. This system requires a strong infrastructure to make the required power.
    • Efficiency: 7
      • The storage capability enables these plants to provide electricity beyond daylight hours, enhancing grid reliability and availability.
    • Scalability: 8
      • CSP plants can be designed to scale up depending on the energy needs, offering flexibility in deployment.
    • Reliability: 9
      • CSP with molten salt storage is ideal for large-scale power generation, particularly in regions with high solar insolation.
    • Regulatory Compliance: 7
      • The system design has the latest technologies required to meet regulations but requires more reports because of the chemical mixture requirements.
• Sustainability: 5
  • The system requires molten salt which is typically a mixture of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate. This system requires more engineering controls to regulate and contain the chemical mixture to prevent outbreaks.
  • Alternative C: Thin-Flim Solar Panels with Flow Battery Storage.
    • Cost Score: 5
      • Thin-film solar panels and flow battery storage are two distinct but complementary technologies in renewable energy systems. Materials to build thin-film solar panels are cheap and installation is complicated. The panels have a short life span. Higher initial cost and complexity compared to some other storage technologies.
    • Efficiency: 4
      • Thin film panels can be flexible, allowing them to be used on unconventional surfaces. Generally, they have lower efficiency compared to crystalline silicon panels. Relatively low energy density compared to lithium-ion batteries.
    • Scalability: 5
      • Well-suited for large-scale energy storage, where space for tanks isn't constrained. The system requires more real estate.
    • Reliability: 6
      • The solar panels have a short life span which will require more maintenance. Flow batteries do have a long-life span but low energy density.
    • Regulatory Compliance: 9
      • The system will have the latest technologies to meet regulatory reporting.
    • Sustainability: 9
      • The flexibility and lightweight properties of thin-film solar panels can be advantageous in various installation scenarios where traditional panels are not suitable. Flow batteries, with their ability to provide stable, long-duration storage, can complement the often-variable energy output of solar panels, providing reliable energy supply even when the sun isn't shining.
• Scoring and Comparative Analysis Chart

	Alternative A	Alternative B	Alternative C
Criteria	Weight		Score	Weight	Score	Weight	Score	Weight
Cost	20		9	180	5	100	5	100
Efficiency	25		9	225	7	175	4	100
Scalability	15		8	120	8	120	5	75
Reliability	20		9	180	9	180	6	120
Regulatory Compliance	10		9	90	7	70	9	90
Sustainability	10		9	90	5	50	9	90
Weighted Sum				885		695		575

• Scoring and Comparative Analysis Selection
  • Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels combined with lithium-ion battery storage are an effective solution for harnessing solar energy and storing it for later use. This technology offers both clean energy generation and efficient energy storage, making it a popular choice for residential, commercial, and even utility-scale applications. Based on scoring the PV system has the highest rating.