Power System Studies for Solar + Storage Projects | Commercial & Utility Scale
Pure Power Engineering will perform all power system studies for post interconnection applications including load flow, reactive power, short circuit, cable ampacity, arc flash, grounding, lightning risk assessment, and equipment evaluation.
Load Flow Studies
Pure Power will analyze the part of the solar + storage system that specializes in maximum steady state AC current or AC power. The load flow study determines voltage and current at buses and cables. It is used mainly to verify equipment and conductor ratings.
Reactive Power
Similar to load flow, this analysis specializes in maximum steady state AC current or AC power but with an emphasis on the phase relationship between voltage and current. The reactive power study looks at the ability of the PV generation station to meet the utility requirements for power factor and voltage at the POI under varying utility voltage conditions.
Short Circuit
Pure Power will perform a short circuit analysis of the solar + storage system which is used to determine the available fault current at each device in the electrical system under study. The available fault current at a device is a function of the available fault current from all sources—including the utility, PV inverters, ESS inverters, motors as well as the impedance between those sources and the device.
Cable Thermal Ampacity
Pure Power will perform an analysis of underground or overhead AC & DC circuits which analyzes the impact of the thermal environment on cable ampacity. The information from this study is used to size the cables and design cable arrangements (a separate report version can be performed for DC circuits).
Arc Flash
PPE will evaluate the potential arc flash incident energy at points in the system where work on live equipment might be performed. The result of an arc flash study is a series of warning labels that get applied to each piece of electrical equipment in the system. This label defines the arc flash boundary as well as the incident energy at some distance from the equipment.
Grounding (Ground Grid)
We will perform a ground grid study of the grounding system to determine the ground potential rise, step and touch potentials on the site as well as the maximum step and touch potentials. The ground grid system will be designed to reduce step and touch potentials below the maximum allowed values.
Lightning Risk Assessment
PPE will perform an analysis of the solar + storage system and determine the probability that a lightning strike will cause damage. The results of this report can be used to justify the addition of lightning protection equipment for the solar + storage system.
Equipment Evaluation
Pure Power will perform an analysis of the solar + storage system that compares the short circuit capability of equipment versus the short circuit capability from the utility. The results of this report will validate the capability of the equipment to withstand faults. (a separate report version can be performed for DC circuits)