Featured Project: Manufacturing Solar M&V

Case Studies ,

Written by Ecovantage 06 Dec,2024

Note: Client name and site location have been removed from this case study to protect sensitive information. Images shown are not of the installation and are for illustration purposes only.

Client Overview.

The client operates a food manufacturing facility from a large premises within metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, and wanted to undertake a Measurement & Verification project to understand the energy savings achieved through a 1MWh solar PV installation and claim the corresponding energy certificates.

Project Summary.

Ecovantage was engaged by the client to conduct an energy savings study on a 1MWh solar PV system that had been installed on their large food manufacturing facility. Using the Project-Based Activity (PBA) method of Measurement & Verification, in order to create Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs), Project Lead, Abdullah Shrif, identified IPMVP Option C Whole Facility to be used to so all of the electricity-consuming equipment on site would be captured in the report.

	Technology Rooftop Solar PV
	System size 1MW
	Measurement period 06/23 – 06/24

Savings Summary.

1MW Solar PV.

	Baseline energy usage (pre-install) 2,357 MWh		Operating energy usage (post-install) 1,600 MWh
	First year energy savings 746 MWh		Savings over 10 years 7,400 MWh
	Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs) 5,900		Certificate financial value* $358,000.00

*Based on the VEEC contracted price, minus fees.
All figures are rounded.

Normalised Savings.

Measurement & Verification Process.

1. Develop a Baseline Energy Model

Ecovantage was engaged after the installation of the solar PV project to conduct an energy savings study to measure how the site used energy following the installation. Pre-installation baseline energy usage was determined through electricity interval data obtained from the energy retailer, for a period of 12 months prior to the upgrade.

2. Develop an Operating Energy Model

Once the solar PV was installed, the energy use was measured for 12 months to develop an Operating Energy Model. The Energy Models were developed using site specific data including:

- Electricity interval data from the energy retailer
- Cooling Degree Days (CDD)
- Standard office hours – obtained from the site contact
- Solar exposure (MJ/m2) – obtained from the Bureau of Meteorology

3. Measure the savings & generate certificates

The Avoided Energy (measured savings) was quantified by comparing the site’s energy use before and after the installation of solar PV. Based on the verified energy savings resulting from installing solar PV, we were then able to generate and monitise 5,900 Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs) for the client, a substantial amount to significantly reduce the payback period.

Project Takeaways.

Ensuring that your installer conducts accurate modelling of the project’s energy savings benefit is key.
This ensures that your project estimates are as close to the end result as possible.