GridGEM Enables Solar PV at Burgh Island Hotel

Overview: Burgh Island Hotel Solar PV Enabling Solution – Argand Solutions worked closely with renewable energy provider SunGift Solar (www.sungiftsolar.co.uk) to provide Burgh Island Hotel, with a 50kWp solar PV system that they would otherwise not have been allowed.

Client Problem: Sungift Solar  (www.sungiftsolar.co.uk), a large-scale developer of renewable generation, approached Argand with the need to provide a solution at Burgh Island Hotel to enable a 50kWp solar PV system that would meet Western Power Distribution’s (WPD) requirement of a 20kW export limit. It sounds simple enough but there were significant technical challenges at the site given that there was no mobile signal and the need to monitor the system. The 50kWp system would perfectly match their demand profil so it was a critical target for the project.

Argand’s Solution: Argand worked closely with Sungift Solar to develop a solution that met both their technical and DNO-imposed requirements. The chosen solution was the GridGEM™ for Export Limitation (ELD) with Argand’s  integrated Lenz monitoring solution using the client’s local Ethernet connection to extract data in real-time for analysis.  In addition, the system was optimised for size through a process prior to installation where the site load was monitored for a period of time. This ensured to the DNO that the site could handle the higher generation capacity that was over and above the constrained limit.

Client Benefits: The client was able to install the additional 30kWp of solar PV at the hotel which had immediate economic benefits in terms of the cost of running his hotel.