Black & Veatch is expanding its solar photovoltaic (PV) services. The company’s Solar PV Bankability practice now provides independent engineering and due diligence services to manufacturers of solar PV materials.
“Black & Veatch is a trusted partner to the financial community. Our specialized solar PV services enable our clients to make investment decisions with confidence,” said Rodger Smith, President of Black & Veatch’s management consulting business. “By combining this expertise with our world-renowned engineering capabilities, we can help our manufacturing clients improve their ‘bankability’ and better position their operations for continued investment.”
Black & Veatch is frequently relied upon by clients in the United States and China to evaluate facilities that manufacture PV modules and supporting technologies, such as inverters that convert PV energy to alternating current. Evaluations, which are conducted on behalf of both investors and facility owners, verify technology claims and ensure manufacturing processes produce a consistent, high-quality product in a cost-effective manner.
Dr. Ralph Romero, who recently joined Black & Veatch’s management consulting business, leads the expanded Solar PV Bankability practice. Dr. Romero is an expert in the commercial development of crystalline silicon and thin-film photovoltaic technology. His consulting experience includes advising client investment in the areas of technology, manufacturing, product and process design, project evaluation and operations management.
“The solar PV industry is advancing at a rapid pace as demand for cost-effective and clean energy continues to grow,” said Dr. Romero. “Investors and manufacturers need a skilled partner to evaluate technologies and designs of these advanced facilities prior to making significant investments. Black & Veatch provides our clients with the knowledge and expertise needed to help facilitate their decisions in these areas, and thus foster continued growth.”
Additional Notes:
- Black & Veatch has been implementing large-scale solar energy projects for nearly 40 years. Most recently, the company provided engineering due diligence for the 80-megawatt Sarnia Solar Project in Ontario, Canada, the largest facility of its kind in North America. Black & Veatch is also the owner’s engineer for a 55-megawatt facility currently in development in Thailand.
- Dr. Romero received his Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Physics from Havana University in Cuba. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and a member of Mensa. In addition, Dr. Romero has served on the Advanced Materials Steering Committee for Innovative Technology for the Commonwealth of Virginia and in numerous roles for leading commercial firms that have pioneered solar PV technology.
- Barclays Capital Equity Research (January 2011) forecasts global solar PV installations will grow 10-25 percent each year for the next three years.
- isuppli reported in November 2010 that the PV Industry spent approximately $11 billion in production equipment in 2010.
About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is a global leader in the consulting, engineering, construction and operation of what the world needs now and in the future in the crucial areas of energy, water and telecommunications and in providing up-to-the-minute services in the fast changing federal and environmental markets. Founded in 1915, the employee-owned, $2.3 billion company operates out of over 110 offices worldwide and has completed projects in more than 100 countries.
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