We recently developed a power system for a client that not only distributes power to an entire site, but resolved three specific issues:

This system will be standard equipment for their meter stations across the country.

Problem: Before construction begins at most production sites, permits must be acquired. Site permits require a geotechnical survey and engineering drawings which add time and cost to a project. In areas with lots of oil and gas drilling and production, permitting agencies are busy---and backlogged. It is not unheard of for agencies to take one to three months to issue a permit.

Solution: Solarcraft’s Power Distribution Center is built on our transportable platform shelter, which we call our Bus Stop, is designed to be installed onto engineered concrete ballast blocks. The platform is built of heavy-duty galvanized steel with steel deck plates, notched steel uprights, unistrut attachment rails, and a powder coated steel roof that looks like a “Bus Stop”.

The ballast blocks take the place of a concrete pad or support footings. No permanent construction or digging is required at the site, bypassing the geologic survey and permitting process. The ballast blocks raise the platform system 20" above grade, a benefit in regions with snowfall accumulation or local flooding.

Problem: Our client used TEGs to produce backup power for their communication systems in the event of a utility power outage. TEGs are large, inefficient, and polluting.

Solution: What differentiates our system from a standard power distribution system is the addition of a fuel cell to supply backup power UPS. In this case, a natural gas/propane fuel cell generates power for communications systems in the event of a complete utility power failure. The 250W fuel cell, at a fraction of the size of a TEG, is silent, efficient, and non-polluting. Fuel cells are an attractive alternative because they burn readily available natural gas or propane. Exhaust is environmentally friendly CO2 and water vapor.

Problem: Mutlitple control systems at the site, all providing critical monitoring and communications, all requiring different power supplies, all requiring thier own infrastructure.

Solution: The Bus Stop has seven horizontal feet of unistrut rail on each side to accommodate power components, controls, monitoring, or communications, consolidating various site functions on a single installation.

Essentially, the Power Distribution Center can go anywhere, tie into line power and provide 24, 120, 240 and 480 Volt power to an entire site of various power requirements. By placing equipment on a moveable platform and ballast blocks, the client avoids permitting delays. The fuel cell option provides clean reliable backup power. Finally by installing communications and other site control systems on the power distribution platform, the client was able to consolidate resources at the site.

Applications

More information about the Power Distribution Center and other UPS systems.