Renewable Energy (old)

Comprehensive Services

• Renewable Energy Integration Studies and Resource Planning

  Whether a utility stakeholder or an independent system operator (ISO), we can support the development of capacity market parameters with proven processes and robust data on the cost and performance of renewable technologies. Integration studies and integrated resource planning may include one or more of these elements:

  • Renewable energy integration studies: Increasing penetration levels of variable generation, such as wind and solar power, can cause increased cycling on thermal power plants. We can assess the need for additional reserves on the grid.
  • Performance estimates: Renewable technologies performance parameters that are typically measured include annual generation, net capacity factor, and plant availability.
  • Capital cost and O&M estimates: Capital costs estimates include engineering, procurement, construction (EPC), owner’s costs, and financing. Fixed and variable O&M costs for each technology can also be identified and organized into subcomponents for easy analysis.
  • Business case development and risk analysis: We can help develop cost models and financial pro formas, as well as identify technical and financial risks or fatal flaws.
  • Environmental regulation evaluation: Our environmental compliance specialists can conduct a thorough evaluation of regulations affecting your project design and operation for compliance with relevant air quality, emissions, and other requirements.
  • Screening Analysis: We can help identify the most feasible renewable and emerging technology alternatives that can be implemented in your service area, including an assessment of the availability of renewable resources in the selected region.

• Project Development and Planning

  We offer a full range of support services to identify, evaluate, select, and implement renewable energy projects. Whether you’re a developer, owner, investor, or contractor, we’ll work as an extension of your organization, providing the specific services you need. From feasibility to wind and solar resource assessments to site selection to construction management, and everything in between, we can help you reach your project objectives.
  
• Grid Interconnection Engineering

  Throughout our 125 year history, Sargent & Lundy has designed substations and transmission lines to interconnect all types of generating stations to the grid. In recent years, wind and solar farms have comprised a significant portion of the new generation capacity. Our expertise has been applied to design substations, switchyards, transmission lines, and collector systems to connect these renewable energy facilities to the transmission network.We have performed services for these projects for both the developers and the utilities owning the interconnected transmission lines. This has included facility studies, transmission screening studies, system impact studies, market accessibility studies, evaluations for alternate interconnection points, conceptual designs, cost estimates, detailed engineering, quality assurance surveillance, and commissioning. We fully understand the nature of these projects, in that they may develop slowly as studies, land acquisition, and power purchase agreement (PPA) negotiations proceed and then shift to a fast-track schedule as in-service deadlines must be met for financial or PPA commitments.
• Owner's Engineering, EPC, and Site Services

  In the role of owner’s engineer, Sargent & Lundy can perform a full range of services, including site selection, feasibility studies, technology selection, procurement, contract negotiations, environmental reviews, construction management, and startup. Our EPC services include providing the basis for a contract or a platform to solicit competitive bids. We can help evaluate bids for design criteria, scope of work, guarantees, price, O&M costs, performance, and financial analysis, as well as assist in contract negotiations and review of Power Purchase Agreements (PPA). We also offer complete construction management, oversight, and commissioning services.
  
• Grid Modernization Consulting Services
• Analytical Services for Renewable Energy Projects
• Due Diligence and Asset Transaction Services
• Conceptual and Detailed Design
• Solar and Wind Resource Assessments

Project Briefs:

• Wind
• Solar
• Biomass
• Geothermal
• Hydroelectric
• Energy Storage
• Hybrid Power Plants and Microgrids
• Renewable and Alternative Energy Publications and Presentations
• Our Complete Renewable and Alternative Energy Services, Qualifications, and Experience
• Our Renewable Energy Concept to Operations Services Guide

Due Diligence and Asset Transaction Services

If your project requires expertise and extensive industry knowledge to independently assess complex financial and technical issues, Sargent & Lundy offers independent engineering and due diligence services tailored to meet your needs. We provide these services on an ongoing basis to some of the largest and most active lenders and investors in the power sector.

For technical, economic, and environmental support of transaction planning and execution, we offer asset transaction services. For investors, we can assess existing assets and documentation, perform technical and economic reviews, identify critical information gaps, pinpoint compliance and performance issues, and evaluate future potential. For sellers, we offer an independent technical report that includes asset condition assessment, performance review, environmental compliance overview, and budgets.

Conceptual and Detailed Design

Solar and Wind Resource Assessments

Sargent & Lundy can perform an assessment of the solar or wind resource at potential project sites. Our project teams use a variety of data sources, including ground-based and satellite derived data sets as well as on site meteorological tower data and solar monitoring station data. We evaluate the quality of data sets in order to process the data appropriately and use the best combination of available information.

As part of our resource assessments, we determine the long-term expected mean generation and the uncertainty in order to provide P75, P90, P95, and P99 generation estimates. Our clients benefit from the different reports and tools we provide, such as 12×24 diagrams and 8760 data sets, which help project owners, developers, lenders, and other stakeholder companies plan and make decisions. Sargent & Lundy uses industry recognized software for these assessments, such as PVsyst, Windographer, and Openwind®.