SolarBOS expertise, service, and customization speed Midwest community project to rapid deployment
Every phase counts in the tightly scheduled world of utility PV construction. So when Burns & McDonnell, a global infrastructure builder and renewable energy EPC, solicited partners to supply a 6.5-MW project in Missouri, they couldn’t leave anything to chance.
The challenge:
Ameren Corp. committed to building this community solar project in the eastern part of central Missouri — the utility’s largest solar project to date — in a blazing-fast six months; such a project typically takes nine months or more to complete.
To meet that deadline, every aspect of the Montgomery County plant’s construction had to go without a hitch; 12,204 panels would be needed to produce the 12 GWHs of electricity promised to the solar garden’s local subscribers. While the mechanical installation of solar modules and racking tends to be the fastest part of construction, the complex electrical demands require far more time.
To ensure on-time delivery while maximizing value, Burns & McDonnell had to select partners with deep product expertise and superior customer service to manage any issues that might arise. SolarBOS was an ideal fit.
The solution:
Customized wiring for maximum project value. SolarBOS brought its bespoke, prefabricated wire insights to the project for a faster plug-and-play experience in the field. Because it delivers a complete solution, each spool is shipped to the correct length with the right connectors, built to factory tolerances to ensure reliability. SolarBOS project scope includes customized wire and combiner box supply:
● 678 source circuit conductors (SCC)
● 118 jumpers (various lengths)
● 29 combiner boxes
Quick and flexible at scale. Surging ahead, SolarBOS estimators worked alongside Burns & McDonnell’s engineering and project management teams to generate a purchase order and begin fulfillment of the system’s SCC wiring within just one month.
Unrivaled eBOS expertise. As one of the oldest eBOS providers in the solar industry, SolarBOS brings sector-leading knowledge, experience, and unique problem-solving skills to pinpoint opportunities for wiring optimization. In reviewing the Missouri project’s details, the SolarBOS wire estimators noticed the project was using conduit to bring the SCCs to the combiner boxes; Burns & McDonnell originally had requested that the combiner boxes have whips for easy and fast connections. By drawing the EPC’s attention to the issue, the project team was able to shorten the conduit and proceed with whips, saving time in the field with a faster solution.
Speed and expertise brought immediate results to Ameren’s project. And as the project proceeds, SolarBOS’s continuing support through bi-weekly conference calls with the Burns & McDonnell team ensures headache-free execution.
The result:
By addressing the project’s complex needs up-front with a customized wire solution, SolarBOS helped Burns & McDonnell streamline its on-site execution. Problem-solving expertise allowed SolarBOS to value-engineer and manufacture tailor-made solutions to specific project specs, using factory finished products for reliable performance over the long term.
SolarBOS’s unique customization outperforms alternative solutions on time and cost. Compared to off-the-shelf wire in bulk, its prefabricated wire means there are no additional in-field costs to unspool, cut to length, strip the ends, and add connectors. This also means Burns & McDonnell doesn’t have to incur the risks of wire inconsistencies or wastage in the field, saving time on-site.
Had Burns & McDonnell brought in bulk wire for use with SolarBOS’s pre-assembled combiners, substantially more field man-hours would have been required to cut each conduit to accommodate the whips and connect every source circuit. But with SolarBOS as a partner, the EPC benefited from one single-source supplier for the box and wire, ensuring that wire lengths and connector types matched up ahead of time, streamlining construction and avoiding additional labor costs.
Value of an integrated partner
By focusing relentlessly on customer satisfaction, the SolarBOS team continues to support Burns & McDonnell with unrivaled service and project management. And because SolarBOS is part of the Gibraltar Renewable Energy Group, it brings a distinct understanding of the entire PV project lifecycle, from upstream project optimization software to racking components to downstream eBOS requirements. This integrated approach results in smarter wire and eBOS solutions, lower risks, and faster execution — which means project wins for Burns & McDonnell and other EPCs nationwide.
“Bringing our pre-fabricated wire solution to this project allowed Burns & McDonnell to save substantial time and resources — both on and off the field. SolarBOS estimators and project managers worked alongside Burns & McDonnell to deliver a headache-free project experience for all involved.”
