Blattner Energy
Minnesota’s clean energy economy has flourished, benefiting Minnesotans, as well as on a national level, since the early 2000s. This is only going to get better — if Minnesota maximizes its clean energy potential. It has already increased by 78 percent since 2000, providing more than 15,300 well-paying jobs as of 2014. Now, we stand to create more than 35,000 new jobs and over $2 billion in wages over the next 15 years.
Originally founded as D.H. Blattner & Co. is headquartered west of St. Cloud in Avon and has a long history dating back more than 100 years. In 2008, Blattner Energy was established as a sister entity, and today provides services to the solar and wind industries.
The Blattner family business has built more than 180 solar and wind projects totaling more than 25,000 megawatts of installed power capacity in North America, including the five largest wind farms in the United States. I have witnessed firsthand the benefits of clean energy, such as affordable and sustainable energy and community vitalization, especially in rural areas, and jobs. At Blattner Energy alone, we employ over 3,000 people nationwide.
Renewable sources of electricity will continue to increase across this country. Driven as much by a competitive price with a downward trending price-point as the desire to reduce pollution. How much can Minnesota benefit from this shift? There’s a reason that this state is a great place to grow companies like Blattner Energy.
Minnesota has long advanced policies that make this growth possible. State policymaking sends clear messages to investors — is a state open for business or not?
Minnesota’s early start and continued support of clean energy policies have established a competitive advantage for many companies like Blattner. Businesses and family-sustaining jobs are growing here because Minnesota has shown investors that it’s serious about its clean energy economy.
Minnesota is blessed with abundant renewable energy resources and skilled workforce, and continued development of these resources will only create more opportunity for good jobs.
State economies grow when they attract outside money into the state and reduce the amount of money they send out of the state. Producing more energy locally will keep more of our energy dollars in the state and help secure our long-term, carbon-free energy future.
Our clean energy market is developing rapidly. Biofuels production capacity, energy efficiency savings and solar and wind installations all had triple-digit percentage growth during the last decade and advanced storage technologies are game-changing.
Design Overview
• System Size limited to 40kW DC nameplate (Replacing old solar rewards ground mount system)
• Location: Blattner Energy, 392 Co Rd 50 Avon, MN 56310
• Coordinates: 45.601147, -94.450840
• Flat Roof System
• Ballasted Racking System
• New east building addition currently under construction
• Modules to be orientated in landscape, 1 high
• Module: 120 Jinko (315*) watt 1,000V *To be Confirmed
• 50%/50% Standard Modules/ Maxim Optimized
Modules Basis of Design
• (2) SMA Inverters: 20kW each STP 20000TL-US
• Each Inverter will have identical dc input configurations
• 1 inverter will pair with standard modules; 1 inverter will pair with Maxim optimized modules
• SMA inverters will typically have (2) MPPT dc inputs
• All MPPT inputs to inverter shall have matching configurations of strings sizes
• Design will allow comparison between standard and optimizer modules
• Building’s main switch board is 480/277 Wye, 4wire
• Near main switchboard there are 3 distribution panels (DP1 is 800A & DP2&3 are 400A panels)
• The plan is to feed into panel 1H4A in first floor of new addition (sub-panel of DP1)
• Empty 2” Conduit has been run from roof to 1H4A for homerun with pull string by parsons electric
• Empty 2” conduit from roof has be run to 1st floor adjacent network room by parsons electric
• The previous 40kW array was tied into main switch board • Existing wind turbine is also tied into main switch board
System Design
• Voltage Drop to be limited to 1.5% from dc wire to POI
• Power factor of 1.0.
• 95.5% CEC inverter efficiency, greater than 98% maximum efficiency.
• Integral Ground fault, anti-islanding protection, and reverse polarity protection.
• If egauge needs to be remotely located at the PV array the Contractor will install a NEMA 4 enclosure and a dedicated 2” conduit with pull tape.
• Operating temperature range: -40 degrees C to 65 degrees C.
• Convective cooling system.
Monitoring and Communication
• SMA inverters required to monitor dc inputs and ac output. Required to interface with network and egauge monitoring
• Minimum 2 eguage3000 with Ethernet energy meters to monitor solar pv in new addition and main electrical room
• Coordinate with BEI to support network connection points
• CT’s on each array’s AC outputs
• CT’s on main building loads in main switch board
• CT’s to measure wind generation in main switch board
• CT’s to measure significant lighting loads if feasible through panels DP1, DP2, DP3
• SMA sunny sensor box with module temperature sensor & irradiance to be installed
• Integrate sensors with BF430 tcp/ip converter for egauge communication
For more information – info@winkelmansolar.com
