How Owner’s Engineers Drive Efficiency and Quality in C&I Solar Projects

If you're considering investing in commercial and industrial (C&I) solar plus storage projects, you might have come across the term "Owner’s Engineering." This function plays a crucial role in saving both time and money during large-scale solar deployments. Mistakes in planning and execution often creep into projects, leading to costly corrections and delays. An owner’s engineer acts as a strategic partner throughout the entire solar project lifecycle, protecting the owner's interests by minimizing risks, enhancing quality, and keeping costs under control. ![How Owners Engineering Services Deliver Value on C&I Solar Projects](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/ebabe06996535d8ae4fab13e74feec8f.png) **Key Takeaways:** - **Streamlining Solar Project Complexity:** Learn how owner’s engineering simplifies the intricacies of solar projects. - **Cost Optimization & Quality Assurance:** Discover ways to enhance project efficiencies while maintaining high standards. - **Real-World Examples:** Explore how Pure Power’s Owner’s Engineering division has achieved significant cost savings and quality improvements in real-world scenarios. **Understanding Owner’s Engineering Services** Owner’s engineering is a specialized service in project management where an expert, known as the owner’s engineer (OE), works on behalf of the project owner. The OE ensures the project is carried out in alignment with the owner’s interests, covering technical, contractual, best practices, and safety aspects, ensuring smooth operations from start to finish. Examples of Pure Power’s OE services include thorough reviews of design plans and on-site inspections conducted by experienced field engineers, guaranteeing all work meets high-quality standards and aligns with the owner’s goals. The aim is to prevent and mitigate the negative impacts of errors, effectively reducing capital expenditure (CapEx) and operational expenditure (OpEx) for the owner. ![Stagecoach (SOQ)](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/e303514308ed4743a3dd2e140146feca.png) As a leading provider, Pure Power’s Owner’s Engineering division offers expert guidance in technical risk management and comprehensive support throughout the project lifecycle, including: - Design and Equipment Review - Acquisition Due Diligence - Performance Validation - Site Visits & Punchlist Generation - PVSYST and Energy Modeling - Review of Commissioning Documentation **Diverging Interests Among Project Stakeholders** ![Microgrid Due Diligence](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/2ef5b00132b4c66ba468921bfd6be552.png) **Owner’s Engineer vs. Project Manager:** The project manager handles daily operations, focusing on executing the plan. The OE, however, takes a broader view, ensuring the project aligns with the owner’s goals. It’s not uncommon for project managers to be replaced mid-project; the OE can provide continuity in such situations. **Owner’s Engineer vs. Contractor:** Contractors are responsible for building and implementing designs per the plans, while the OE ensures the work meets quality and performance standards. Misalignments of interests with contractors are common. Contractors focus on completing projects quickly and at low cost, whereas owners will likely be tied to the project for decades. Long-term quality and low operational expenses are far more important to them. **Owner’s Engineer vs. Engineer of Record:** The Engineer of Record develops technical plans and specifications. However, there’s often a tendency to strictly adhere to these plans without considering the owner’s objectives. A design review by the OE ensures they are practical and cost-effective, aligning with the overall project goals. **Concrete Benefits for Project Owners** ![Purepower on site-08596](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/df7014da29b035047e749a0b7ac81e2a.jpg) Owner’s engineering services can add significant value throughout the life cycle of a commercial solar project. With an extra layer of oversight, OE can achieve the following: **Optimizing Design Costs** Owner’s engineering helps optimize design costs by reviewing and validating design plans to ensure they are cost-effective without sacrificing quality. For the project owner, this translates to lower initial investment costs and fewer expensive redesigns or modifications during construction. OE’s oversight ensures the project stays within budget while meeting all technical and performance requirements. **Upholding Quality Standards** Maintaining quality standards is a core benefit of owner’s engineering. The OE conducts regular quality audits and inspections to ensure all work meets or exceeds industry standards. For the project owner, this results in a reliable and high-performing solar installation with fewer maintenance issues and a longer operational lifespan, generally leading to a better return on investment. Regular inspections by field engineers often identify quality or performance issues, sometimes helping contractors avoid costly mistakes. **Performance Modeling** Pure Power’s performance modeling, using tools like PVSYST and Energy Modeling, ensures solar projects not only meet but exceed performance expectations, maximizing energy production and efficiency. For the project owner, this means confidence that energy production and efficiency goals will be met, leading to predictable and optimized revenue streams from the solar installation, maximizing efficiency and ROI. ![PVSYST & ENERGY MODELS](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/18efc4fff3b0c9f289ed13c038a44d70.png) **Performance Analysis** Pure Power’s owner’s engineering team performs detailed analyses of site performance and validates the design and production model using historical weather data and various industry-standard test methods like ASTM E2848-13 capacity tests and NREL Performance Ratio tests. For the project owner, evaluating the efficiency of a solar system by comparing its performance to a production model/historical data ensures there are no financial risks due to underperformance. **Reducing Financial Risks** Owner’s engineering significantly reduces financial risks by implementing robust risk management strategies. Pure Power’s OE team proactively identifies financial risks early on and implements mitigation strategies, ensuring financial predictability and helping secure investment confidence. For the project owner, this means fewer unexpected expenses and a more predictable financial outcome. The reduced risk profile can also make it easier to secure financing and investment for the project. **Streamlined Decision-Making Processes** The presence of an owner’s engineer helps streamline decision-making processes by centralizing authority. Quick and effective decisions mean fewer bottlenecks and delays caused by indecision or miscommunication. The OE brings all stakeholders on the same page and aligns decisions with the owner's objectives, leading to a smoother and faster project execution. For example, when deviations from the plan are necessary, the OE ensures that the contractor proposes solutions that are in the owner's interest. **Efficient Problem-Solving** The OE uses its expertise to quickly identify and address issues as they arise. For the project owner, this means potential problems are mitigated before they escalate into major setbacks. The proactive approach reduces downtime and keeps the project on track, ultimately saving time and money. Reviewing contract language, for instance, can identify problems before they reach the site. **Savings Potential Makes OE a No-Brainer** Pure Power acted as OE on a recent 2 MW portfolio project in Illinois. The issue was new inverters without AC disconnects, which meant the sites didn’t comply with NEC 690.15 provisions regarding the 10’ rule. Supply chain disruptions threatened to push lead times out by 40 weeks. ![Utility-Scale Solar + Storage Engineering](http://bsg-i.nbxc.com/blog/1016d4ab310e73ad5f830c4eb8f585be.png) Pure Power’s OE team identified a critical compliance issue involving inverters and resolved it using existing equipment, saving the client substantial redesign costs and ensuring regulatory compliance. Their swift action prevented costly delays and saved the project nearly $500,000. **Selecting the Right Owner’s Engineer** When choosing an OE, consider their technical expertise and track record. Here are some questions you can ask during your evaluation: - What specific solar projects have you managed, and what were the outcomes? - How do you handle conflicts between contractors and other stakeholders? - Can you provide examples of how you’ve optimized project costs and timelines in the past? - What risk management strategies do you employ to minimize potential issues? - How do you ensure quality standards are met throughout the project lifecycle? With a proven track record of managing solar projects from inception to completion, Pure Power’s Owner’s Engineering division brings unmatched expertise in technical risk management, cost control, and quality assurance, making it a trusted partner for complex solar installations. For more information on our Owner’s Engineering services, visit [www.PurePower.com](www.PurePower.com) or email us.

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