Y24-09-SS.pdf

Y24-09-SS

Utilities Administration Building (UAB) Floating Solar Panels

Orange County, Florida’s Utilities Engineering Division is interested in procuring a floating solar photovoltaic system for the on-site pond located at UAB. To date, research within the industry has indicated to the County that Ciel & Terre’s Hydrelio Technology system distributed by D3Energy is the only system that fulfills the requirements below.

1) Minimum Specification features and capabilities:

a) System Requirements - The system including PV modules, inverters, combiners, disconnects, signage, system monitoring, and structures are to be designed, permitted, installed, and tested by vendor

i) PV MODULES - shall be commercial off-the-shelf product, must be IEC 61215 compliant and

24 IEC 61730-1 compliant, listed to UL 1703, and must be installed to manufacturer’s instructions

ii) Panel design maximized for pond shape and size (panels selected from most recent Bloomberg Tier 1 Solar Panel list)

iii) Inverters - must be IEEE 1547 compliant, listed to UL 1741, comply with the latest applicable ANSI and FCC standards and addenda, and inspected before commissioning, testing, and operation of the system

2) Technical Characteristics of Floating System

a) The floating PV system to be designed shall guarantee the load resistance for following conditions (determined through wind tunnel tests and calculations):

i) Water velocity: up to 2.3 mph.

ii) Waves: up to 3.3 ft.

iii) Temperature: up to 122 °F

iv) Wind velocity: minimum wind rating of 130mph with capabilities of wind ratings above 150mph

b) Minimum expected lifespan of 25 years

c) Floating PV system and all components (including the anchoring system) to have a minimum warranty of 10 years

d) Ability to demonstrate a currently installed floating PV system that has experience in and can withstand hurricane conditions

e) Floating PV system to have been specifically designed for and appropriate over water, and in accordance with all electric codes

f) Floats are manufactured in HDPE (high-density polyethylene)

g) Test and Certifications

i) Wind tunnel tests carried out and validated by a third party.

ii) Wave resistance test (calculation & mechanical traction resistance tests) carried out and validated by a third party.

iii) Current resistance tests witnessed by an independent audit and inspection company.

iv) Anchoring resistance and impact on structure evaluated by endurance tests on connection tabs carried out by a third party.

3) Fees and Permits

a) Obtain all permits required

b) Coordinate Duke Power support for 3 days of system testing

c) Fill out all required Duke Power interconnection forms and requests and coordinate with OC PM.

4) Warranty

a) PV Panels - Twenty-Five (25) year linear 80-percent (minimum) power warranty (at end of 25th year after purchase an actual minimum power output of 80-percent based on nameplate rating) and not less than ten (10) years for workmanship material and manufacturing defects.

b) Inverters –Five (5) years.

5) Minimum Qualifications

a) Qualifications

i) Floating PV systems to have been successfully implemented for floating PV installations of at least 500 kilowatts in the last 5 years.

ii) Provide documentation demonstrating a minimum of two (2) examples of successful design, permitting, installation, connection, and operation of floating solar photovoltaic systems with at least one (1) installation within the State of Florida.

b) General Experience

i) At least five (5) years of general experience in performing the services described above.

c) Specific Experience

i) Contractor with at least five (5) years of specific experience in successfully designing & installing a floating solar photovoltaic system within the State of Florida

Any vendor meeting the County’s requirements is invited to submit a response to this intent to sole source through the opengov portal.