QUEST RENEWABLES INC — Department of Energy SBIR Phase II: 12d

Description

Recent Category 4 hurricanes in the US, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean led to a 43% catastrophic failure rate of solar arrays. Fewer than 20% of solar arrays hit by a category 5 hurricane are expected to be even partially operational after such a storm. Our company is leveraging its expertise in solar racking to develop a resilient and cost-efficient solar racking system that can withstand a direct hit from a category 5 hurricane and remain operational. This system will allow critical grid infrastructure to produce power directly after a hurricane’s passing, preventing loss of life and accelerating economic recovery post-disaster. In Phase I, our company leveraged its expertise in failure mode analysis to make a Proof-of- Concept that addresses more than 20 failure modes related to solar racking. By the end of Phase II, our company will have a fully-certified, bankable product that will be sold globally in high-risk areas. Findings related to this project will also have trickle-down results that will improve the resilience of all systems, whether exposed to wind, snow or seismic forces. Phase I focused on failure modes relating to environmental factors, equipment and material factors, and system design factors. The completed prototype successfully addresses 22 identified failure modes related to the above factors. Industry-leading research was conducted on wind speed, direction, and turbulence as well as foundation design to ensure that systems retain their designed strength for more than 25 years. Phase II focuses on four objectives listed below, with the ultimate objective of producing industry-ready resilient solar structures: Implement insights from Phase I. Conduct final testing and selection of components. Validate the system in a thorough a bankability study.Pilot our first system. The commercial benefits of such a system are predicted to generate $106 million in Federal Tax Revenue over the next ten years. In addition to the tax benefit, a more resilient grid will significantly reduce the cost of post-disaster recovery for local municipalities.