Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 23 | Page 72

INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Green Technology meteocontrol undertakes photovoltaic monitoring at large distributed solar project m eteocontrol GmbH, a leading provider of independent photovoltaic monitoring systems, is operating as the monitoring partner for the Phanes Group which is delivering phase one of Dubai’s largest distributed solar industrial rooftop projects for the international port operator DP World. Together with the project developer Phanes Group and its asset construction company Oryx Solar System Solutions LLC (Oryx), meteocontrol is implementing complex photovoltaic rooftop systems with a total installed volume of 25.8 MWp. meteocontrol designed the customised monitoring platform for these rooftop solar systems. DP World’s Solar Power Programme represents the largest solar rooftop- system project in the Middle East to date. During the first phase of the project 88,000 photovoltaic modules are being installed and will produce energy that equals the power supply to 3,000 households. The total installed output power amounts to 25.8 MWp. With its solar programme, DP World is making a significant contribution to the planned 72 INTELLIGENTCIO expansion of clean-energy production in Dubai, operating under the ‘Shams Dubai’ initiative. DP World’s first solar systems are already connected to the grid and meteocontrol is providing the monitoring. “The entire system portfolio is equipped with data loggers from the blue’Log X series and the VCOM (virtual control room). Therefore, it can be easily taken stock of and professionally monitored,” said Martin Schneider, Managing Director of meteocontrol. meteocontrol adapted the modularly constructed monitoring system to meet project needs, as well as country-specific requirements. It also put it into operation and conducted training sessions at Oryx. meteocontrol is relying on the “meteocontrol is relying on the collaboration with experienced local companies during project execution.” “DP World’s Solar Power Programme represents the largest solar rooftop-system project in the Middle East to date.” collaboration with experienced local companies during project execution. “This has tremendous advantages for the investor and project developer alike. They receive proven high-tech solutions ‘made in Germany’ but also have the possibility to contact experts directly on site. With Oryx, we were able to collaborate with a competent partner in the United Arab Emirates,” says Martin Schneider. meteocontrol’s comprehensive monitoring solution is effective and cost-efficient for large photovoltaic projects such as that of DP World. “Once set up, additional solar systems can easily be integrated into the monitoring platform, allowing comprehensive surveillance at a glance. This reduces the amount of time and effort associated with operation management,” says Dr. Rainer Gegenwart, Managing Director for Projects, Phanes Group. “So far everything has been running according to plan. The collaboration with meteocontrol is very efficient, as it has been in operation and monitoring of other utility scale PV systems.” Future continued collaboration is planned between Phanes Group and meteocontrol. n www.intelligentcio.com