Solar PV Rooftop Training Entrepreneurship Development interacting with the client

1. Partnership To Advance Clean Energy-Deployment (PACE-D)
Technical Assistance Program
Presented by
USAID PACE-D TA Program
Apr-18
Solar PV Rooftop Training Program For Entrepreneurs
Session:
Interacting with the Client – What to Communicate

2. Contents
Understand customer requirement / motivation
Determine SPVRT system capacity
Consult and determine a Design Brief
Considerations for system design
Recommended information for the client

3. Contents
System documentation
Warranties
How to address troubleshooting
The Do’s and Don’ts of selling solar

4. Understand Customer Requirement / Motivation
Reducing their energy bill
Power during black / brown outs
Environmental reasons
Financial Benefits
Green branding
RPO obligation

5. First, convince yourself on the benefits of solar
Provide references of past projects
Arrange finance by having tie-ups with banks and /or
investors
Convince the client on the financial benefits like
payback, IRR, AD benefit etc.

8. Determining SPVRT System Capacity
 Availability of shadow free area
 Installation purpose and budget
 Government program and incentive guidelines
 State Electricity Regulation
 Distribution Transformer capacity
 Sanctioned load

9. Designing an SPVRT System for the Client’s Needs
A client’s motivation for installing their PV system will play an important role in the
design process
 The system should be designed to meet customer’s needs
 Understand the client’s expectations of their system and make sure they are
given correct information
 A customer must understand that
 The ‘income’ from a system is often only manifest as a reduction in energy
bills rather than a cheque
 A conventional grid-connected system does not provide power during
blackouts
 Government financial incentives are highly variable - what a household’s
neighbours received 6 months ago may no longer be available

10. Consult & Determine a Design Brief
Businesses that offer a ‘one size fits all’ standard system are not properly meeting
their clients’ needs
 Consult to determine a design brief
 Determine what the client wants from their SPVRT system
 Identify any design constraints
 Design constraints should include:
 Budget
 Suitability of the Site
 Aesthetics
 Battery Back Up

11. Considerations for System Design
In addition to client’s requirement, consider technical parameters when designing a
system for safety and reliability
Sizing the Array
‘Sizing’ or ‘matching’ the SPVRT array to the inverter is an important part of the design
process. Inappropriately sized arrays may not only underperform, they may pose a
serious safety hazard. An array must be sized according to the inverter’s following
parameters:
 Maximum input voltage
 Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) range
 Maximum input current
 Maximum PV array rated power
 Maximum DC input power

12.  Estimation of average daily electricity production
 Estimation of Annual Yield (annual electricity production)
 Estimation of electricity production in the best and worst months of the year
 Fraction of solar energy in his / her annual energy consumption
 The financial benefits derived from this reduction in annual energy consumption
 The greenhouse gas savings in tonnes or kg of CO2 equivalent
Recommended Information to the Client

13. System Documentation
System documentation should be as per IEC 62446 and it should include the following
information
 List of equipment supplied
 System diagrams
 System performance estimate
 Operating instructions for the system and its components
 Shutdown and isolation procedures
 Maintenance procedure and timetable
 Installation Checklist and Commissioning Records
 Warranty information
 Equipment manufacturer’s documentation and handbooks

14. Warranties
 Product warranties covering defects in manufacture
 Product warranties related to output performance over time
 System warranties relating to proper operation of the installed system over time
 Energy performance warranties relating to the guaranteed energy output of the
grid-connected PV system over a period of time, typically a year
An SPVRT system also has consumer guarantees whereby the person selling and
installing the SPVRT system guarantees that:
 The goods being sold are not defective
 The service being provided is appropriate and the installation is of high quality

15. Addressing Troubleshooting
 Grid supply is operating outside the range of the inverter’s AC voltage /
frequency window
 Shading – cloud, tree, leaves, newly constructed buildings, dirt, snow, antenna
 What is the problem:
 Is the system producing less power than usual or no power?
 Are any components obviously damaged?
 Is the inverter flashing lights or displaying error messages?
 How long has the problem been present?
 Check that you have a copy of the client’s system documentation, if you don’t
you will need to ask the client for a copy. The technician will need to check this
documentation.

16. Do’s
 Understand the market
 Explain the limitations of SPVRT system
 Streamline the sales process
 Conduct a Site Inspection
 Follow Standards and Industry Guidelines
 Understand the Laws, Regulations and Standards
 Explain the Quote
 Build a Reputation as a Market Leader
 Discuss Comparative Offers
Do’s & Don’ts of Selling Solar

17. Don’ts
 Use incorrect terminology and jargon
 Size and quote a system without conducting an onsite assessment
 Make unsupported claims
 Advertise a system by its yield
 Advertise financial benefits without context
 Relate energy production to energy use without evidence
Do’s & Don’ts of Selling Solar

18. 18
Anurag Mishra
Senior Clean Energy Specialist
USAID/India
Email: amishra@usaid.gov
Disclaimer:
This training material is made possible by the support of the American
People through the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID). The contents of this material are the sole
responsibility of Nexant, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the views of
USAID or the United States Government. This material was prepared
under Contract Number AID-386-C-12-00001.