The Netherlands Leads the Way

According to a recent report by Reuters, the Netherlands is set to launch an offshore solar initiative that includes a pilot project for a floating solar farm. Located about nine miles off the coast of The Hague, the project will start with an initial 30 square meters of solar panels and will expand to cover 2,500 square meters. This project is expected to generate enough clean energy to power approximately 500 typical Dutch homes and is managed by Utrecht University.

Wilfried van Sark, a solar energy expert and lead investigator at Utrecht University, emphasized the additional benefits of offshore solar, stating, “In addition to removing the problem of a land shortage, there are several other benefits to building at sea, similar to those in wind energy.”

PE’s Commitment to Sustainable Energy Solutions

At Prime Energy, we recognize the importance of leveraging innovative technologies to address the challenges of renewable energy development. By introducing floating solar farms in regions with limited land availability, we aim to help meet the growing energy demands of these communities while promoting sustainability and reducing carbon footprints.

Together, we can harness the power of the sun and make significant strides toward a cleaner, greener future.

The Future of Offshore Solar

Both the Netherlands and China exemplify the growing recognition of offshore solar energy’s potential. As technology advances and innovative projects emerge, the future of renewable energy is increasingly looking towards our water bodies to harness solar power. Prime Energy remains committed to promoting and implementing such pioneering solutions, paving the way for a more sustainable and eco-friendly energy landscape.

Innovations in Offshore Solar Energy: The Role of Integrated Inverter Technology

Sunglow, a leader in integrated inverter technology, has taken significant strides in the offshore solar energy sector with their central inverter model, the SG2500-MV. This advanced inverter combines integrated inverter, transformer, and switchgear functionalities, resulting in a turnkey station that not only minimizes transportation costs due to its compact 20-foot containerized design but is also ruggedized to withstand high humidity and salt spray conditions. Such innovations are essential for the longevity and efficiency of solar installations in challenging marine environments.

Japan’s Commitment to Offshore Solar

Japan stands at the forefront of offshore solar energy development, exemplified by the Kagoshima Nanatsujima Mega Solar Power Plant. Launched in 2013 through a partnership that included Kyocera, this 70MW facility was established to leverage Japan’s feed-in tariff (FIT) for renewable energy generation. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the Japanese government restructured its FIT program to ensure local utilities purchase 100% of the power generated from solar installations exceeding 10 kilowatts for 20 years, driving significant interest and investment in solar energy.

PRIME ENERGY played a crucial role in the LCRA 3 138KV Switch Yards project in Iraan, Texas, which serves as vital infrastructure for LCRA’s wind and solar farms. This project involved extensive testing and implementation of advanced electrical systems.

• The project included six 53’ A-steel frames and three 26,000 lbs each T-Lines that needed to be set.
• Coordinated and supervised multiple electrical contractors and electrical facility design.
• Created MODBUS Tags and link to Analog and Discrete Tags Alarms, Trends and Historization
• Integrated SCADA with all HT and LT substation Remote Relay Settings
• Event and Alarm list with time stamp Time synchronization of all the equipment’s Measurement with data quality
• Monitoring of network equipment’s Audible alarm with filtering
• Detailed reporting of feeder data Two LAN subnet for substation and control room Three levels of Security
• The Wonderware client system consists of whole substation SLD, Individual substation SLDs, Measurements, Trends, Alarms, and Events
• By using the links one can easily view the Alarm/Event list, and trends (Real-time/Historical) and Relay details of a particular feeder.
• Drilled and poured 105 piers of concrete for each site of 8.0AC pads.
• Drilled 350 feet of grounding well for each pad and 50 feet beyond first water.
• All FOP resistance testing passed on each site.

Oversaw the following:

• Trenching, Backhoe, or Plowing was done three feet deep to control building wiring on each site.
• Installed Fiber Patch Panels for each site and connected them in the AEP and Next ERA fiber boxes.
• Optimization of the cable trench pair
  Primary and Secondary/Service Cable Installation Splicing and Terminating
  Transformer and Switchgear Installation and testing
• Switching and Tagging Meter Installation Directional Boring
• Physical substation design including yard layouts, plans, sections, and details, grounding, lightning protection, control building arrangements, interior and exterior raceways, auxiliary AC/DC power systems, and associated bills of material.
• Understanding of construction documentation, including familiarity with architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and civil engineering drawings.

• Additionally, knowledge of construction contracts and specifications.
• Protection and control design including panel arrangements, one line/single lines, three lines, AC schematics, DC equipment wiring, and relay panel wiring
• Prepared calculations for studies and reports (grounding, lighting protection, AC/DC load studies, etc.)
• Prepared equipment specifications for procurement and/or factory acceptance testing.
• Installed Fiber Patch Panels for each site and connected them in the AEP and Next ERA fiber boxes.
• Optimization of the cable trench pair
• Primary and Secondary/Service Cable Installation Splicing and Terminating
• Transformer and Switchgear Installation and testing
• Coordinated design activities with other departments (Civil/Structural, Networks, Transmission Line, etc.)
• Kept track of a 750 line item material tracker for all three jobs.
• Knowledge of concrete placements and finishing processes T.O.C and elevation issues.
• Knowledge of grading, traffic and pedestrian circulation, utility placement and design, parking lots, soil erosion mitigation methods, landscaping and lighting, and Storm Water Management.

PRIME Energy on GEH Principal Nuclear Consultant Wilmington, NC – Prototype design for Argonne NL Idaho Falls, Idaho.

• Worked on the ARC-100 advanced small modular reactor (aSMR) for Canada’s Bruce Power projects.
• Worked on the Exelon BWR and PWR digital upgrade projects for all their Nuclear power plants.
• Internet of things SW development project connecting Sales Force with SAP.
• Industrial Controls and SCADA software like Citect, Wonderware, GE Cimplicity, and Iconics applications. Responsible for coordinating software configuration, integration development, testing and deployment, and vendor technical activities.
• Tested instrumentation to ensure the meter is working properly.
• Assisted Maintenance in Procurement of repair/upgrade scopes for major turnarounds.
• Designed the plant start-up, normal process operation, normal process upsets, normal shutdown, and abnormal situations in training and simulation mode. Experience with troubleshooting equipment and components 20 25 MW Gas Turbines were replaced due to the turnaround. Ability to disassemble, troubleshoot, repair, assemble/align main turbines, substations, feed-water pump turbines, and associated components.
• Experience in basic machine shop skills, bearing maintenance, associated valve maintenance,
• coupling, and internal component alignment, mechanical seals, and basic rigging practices. ·
• Disassembled, inspect, reassemble, and restore turbine components as defined by the station
• Installed and commissioned the following Gas Chromatographs, and UV/IR Continuous Gas Performed modeling updates as needed in the project including SCADA and Substation Editor (SSE) modeling.
• Provided the standard Viewer Configuration Editor (VCE) for deployment and managed all necessary VCE changes.
• Provided modeling information for the ADMS applications, as needed and in a format consumable by the ADMS conversion processes without further manipulation.
• From an Engineering perspective, supporting the business to ensure that the company’s Geographic Information System (GIS) data model is sufficient to support the ADMS model needs including Feeder circuit connectivity and Topology and phase information on all devices. Internet of things SW development project connecting Sales Force with SAP.
• Experience within T&D Organizations: EMS, ADMS, GIS, OMS, NERC CIP, SCADA applications.
• Industrial Controls and SCADA software like Citect, Wonderware, Cimplicity, and Iconics applications.
• Responsible for coordinating software configuration, integration development, testing and deployment, and vendor technical activities.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity and security tools
• Lead the maintenance of the enterprise compliance policies and procedures
• Lead the annual CIP-002 Cyber System identification process
• Lead the personnel security awareness, training, and access administration processes, CIP-004
• Managed the BES Cyber System Information protection program, CIP-011
• Lead the compliance of the CIP-013 standard, Supply Chain Security

PRIME Energy on the Siemens Energy Canada Bruce Power Projects.

• Designed the 3-D model for field instrument orientation check to ensure all field devices will work and operating and maintenance access is provided
• Designed the plant start-up, normal process operation, normal process upsets, normal shutdown, and abnormal situations in training and simulation mode
• Experience with BWR Reactor and GT Disassembly and Reassembly Experience with troubleshooting equipment and components. For their nuclear projects at Bruce Power and NB Power using the PCS7 DCS. Strong in converting Windows XP Application software into Windows 7 platform for all process units. 20 years of experience using VB, VBA, Fortran, and C++/C#/C programming languages.
• 20 years of experience using MS Visual Studio or other integrated development environments (IDE).
• The following Siemens Combined Cycle Gas Turbines were implemented on the PCS7 and T2000/T3000 DCS systems. Auxiliary Systems Module for Fuel Gas, Hydraulic Oil, Instrument Air, Lube Oil Auxiliary Systems Module for Fuel Oil, Purge Water, NOX Water Compressor Cleaning Skid Compressor Dehumidifier Skid Air Intake Filter House Air Intake Duct Exhaust Gas Diffuser Stack or Bypass Stack with Diverter Damper Power Control Center Electrical I&C Equipment Low Voltage Transformer for Static Excitation Equipment Low Voltage Transformer for Starting Frequency Converter
• Electrical Generator CO2 Fire Protection Lube Oil Fin-Fan Cooler Generator Fin-Fan Cooler.
• Performed and analyzed network loads for the main distribution system.
• Interfaced the AB 1730 package skids with the PCS-7 and T2000/3000 DCS systems.
• Extensive Wonderware experience with PCS7 and T2000/T3000 DCS.
• Facilitated the development, monitoring, and control of various process loops associated with real-time process applications such as BWR, and HVAC.
• Loops included RWLC, RRFC, FWHDC, pressure and turbine control, rod control, waste plant control, and power control.
• Preparation of general arrangement drawing for instrumentation control panels,
• Designed of I/O list. Excellent understanding and knowledge of Electrical Distribution Systems at Low (480V).
• Designed one-lines, three-lines, control schematics, wiring diagrams, relay panel arrangements, and cable lists for high voltage (69-500kV) substations.
• Proficient in the use of Power Analysis software ETAP and SKM

PRIME Energy Sentinel Energy Wind Farms Project 15775 Palm Springs, CA Scope:

• Prepared site for disassembly Received delivery of new Brush rotor on Unit 7 100 MW GE CCGT LMS1000 with MK VIe Controls. Disassembled to remove existing rotor Prepared cribbing and rail system for rotor extraction. Pulled existing rotor Set existing rotor on rotor stands. Removed new rotor from the shipping crate and placed on rails Installed new rotor.
• Reassemble and Prepared the old rotor for storage and shipment. Commissioned the new controls. Clean up site and tooling.
• SCADA, PLC, and DCS system design/redesign.
• Relay settings Programming and relay characteristic and function Retesting
• SCADA and RTU communication system integration, programming, and function Retesting