PROFILE

Experienced Solar Engineer specializing in energy generation evaluation and PV system yield simulations. Passionate about data analysis, testing and commissioning of HV/LV power systems i.e. electrical protection, renewable energy (solar, CPV, wind) and construction site management and facility or plant operation and maintenance

HIGHLIGHTS

Solar PV indoor and outdoor laboratory testing

Experienced in using energy production simulation tolls PVSyst software

Metrological resource historical data evaluation and manipulation

Working experience in data analysis through excel

IEC/ISO 17025, ISO 9001 implementation experience (Quality Management System)

EXPERIENCE

Project Manager 01 May 2021 – To date SGB Smit Power Matla

plan and draw up a production schedule

decide on and order the resources that are required and ensure stock levels remain adequate

ensure that the production will be cost effective by estimating costs and negotiating and agreeing budgets with both clients and managers

monitor the production processes and adjust schedules as needed

monitor productivity rates and product standards and implement quality control programmes

organise the repair of any damaged equipment

liaise with different departments, teams and companies, e.g., suppliers, managers, clients

ensure that health and safety guidelines are always followed

ensure customer orders are completed on time and to budget and that quality standards and targets are met

work with managers to implement the company's policies and goals

collate and analyse data, putting together production reports for both factory managers and customers

review worker performance and identify training needs.

Category Manager - Solar 01 September 2020– 30 January 2021 ACDC Dynamics

Analyzing the category and current strategy and highlighting areas of weaknesses or conflicting messages to both the National Sales Manager as well as the Managing Director as and when required.

Creating a sustainable “category plan” which encompasses a category strategy and ensuring all aspects of the product or company's marketing and activities align with the ethos and goals of the category prescribed by both the external category supplier as well as ACDC Dynamics.

Sourcing suppliers and products that fit with the context of the category.

Creating an enduring category message that results in increased sales, brand loyalty and improving market share.

Championing the category internally, making sure all elements of the company understand the category and its goals.

Realistic forecasting of sales and volume for the category ensuring all departments of the company are geared accordingly by means of timeous notification.

Working closely with all parts of the company to ensure commercial goals of the category are met.

Developing and sustaining strong working relationships with all stakeholders.

Presenting the category plan to your National Sales Manager, Managing Director, Category Principle as well as Sales and Marketing teams at internal meetings and conferences.

Partnering with internal ACDC structures like the marketing department thus ensuring budgets are met.

Seek out new marketing opportunities that fit with the category and maximizing all opportunities for growth.

Supporting the sales force with general operations to help reach the team’s objectives.

Managing several assigned accounts and often being the face of the company to many clients.

Building new business relationships using existing industry contacts.

Giving sales presentations to high-level executives.

Understanding the marketplace and customer needs in order to advise in product development.

Electrical Site Engineer / Supervisor 01 October 2019 – 30 September 2020 RINA Consulting (ENEL Green Power – Garop Wind Farm)

Ensuring, with support of Safety and Environment Manager, the implementation of safety and hygiene provisions in the workplace and environmental protection, in compliance with local legislation;

Assuring the compliance of electrical works performed with Issued for Construction (IFC) Design, Technical Specification, contractual requirements, quality, local laws and site sustainability.

Monitoring and tracking the progress of electrical works activities, promptly detecting eventual criticalities or delays and proceeding in problem solving by coordinating with Site Manager\Coordinator, in order to reach schedule objectives defined;

Performing the measurement and classification of work executed and the compilation of the booklets of measurements and accounting (services entry sheet) required for the payment release;

Implementing Quality Control Plan on site, attending to the test execution when needed, and checking test reports and field data to assure quality requirement are being met;

Detecting possible non-conformities during the works activities, promptly informing the Site Manager\Coordinator and supporting him in Non-Conformity Report opening and problem solving;

Supporting the Site Coordinator by ensuring the implementation of Design Change and Non-Conformity resolution during construction and assembly activities.

Supervise all electrical subcontractors on site in order to meet technical and quality requirements set forth in electrical drawings and specifications.

Responsible for reporting and monitoring tracking or electrical activities relating to project schedule.

Assist the on-site construction team in resolving technical or engineering issues with vendors and contractors relating to Client’s electrical disciplines.

Monitor the progress and determine if works are going according to the schedule

PV Technologist 08 May 2015 – 25 September 2019 Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

PV Technology Market and State-of-Research Intelligence

Observing global trends in PV research, development and innovation (RDI) and drawing conclusions for the CSIR’s own PV RDI activities and roadmaps. This include: Observe global market trends with respect to PV fundamental research (materials level), and with respect to PV cell demonstrators, achieved highest efficiency levels, methods applied to commercialize lab findings, etc.

Observe global market trends with respect to PV module efficiencies on commercial markets, cost and efficiency roadmaps of major PV module players and with respect to PV equipment manufacturer’s offerings, cost roadmaps, global PV manufacturing capacities, etc.

Observe global market trends with respect to PV system performance (Performance Ratio), latest trends in PV system design, integration into power systems

Laboratory Testing

Define the scope of designing and operating laboratories for indoor testing and manage external partner’s / service providers that might support CSIR in these efforts

Define testing offerings for all PV technologies (crystalline and thin film)

Lead the conducting of tests according to IEC standards and analyze results

Define the scope of designing and operating laboratories for outdoor testing and manage external partner’s / service providers that might support CSIR in these efforts

Build and operate test facilities in partnership with private companies within CSIR

Acquire relevant electrical and meteorological data in high resolution

Conduct performance and operation measurement of PV modules and systems (e.g. temperature coefficients, potential-induced degradation)

Define criteria for long-term stability of modules, design tests and measure accordingly

Conduct reliability research to predict life-time of PV modules, components and systems in the field

Test performance and reliability of solar modules, components and systems and assess whether issuing 3rd party reports and certificates is a viable offering for the CSIR Test systems that include PV as the primary energy source, e.g. standalone or grid-connected solar-pumping systems, and derive requirements on the solar-driven components

Summarize findings in concise, to-the-point presentations and reports

Ad-hoc research on solar PV outdoor testing

CSIR Owned PV Plants Construction

Review specifications and recommend engineering or manufacturing changes to achieve solar design objectives.

Provide technical direction or support to installation teams during installation, start-up, testing, system commissioning, or performance monitoring.

Perform computer simulation of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation system performance or energy production to optimize efficiency.

Conduct feasibility study on local grid and system planning

Issuing and evaluating the tenders of the four currently running owned CSIR PV plants

558kWp – Single axis tracker

203kWp – Dual axis tracker

250kWp – Rooftop

1MWp - Rooftop

Analysis of energy consumption, performance and quality of supply in regards to grid code specifications

Operation and maintenance (develop our own Best O&M Practices)

Project Engineer 01 March 2014 – to 31 Dec 2014 Sunedison

Projects Completed : Boshoff Solar Park (60MW), Soutpan & Witkop Solar Park (28 & 30MW), Rosherville Eskom R&D PV Plant (250kW)

Identifying requirements to meet the project delivery schedules and in determining solutions, if any

Handle responsibilities of providing technical guidance to the staff in power system startup and commissioning

Co-ordination with design and engineering team for providing on site supervision and technical support on construction works

Coordinate with main /sub-contractors; monitor their performance in view of project schedule.

Review of electrical designs and oversee the factory/site acceptance test

Responsible for conducting performance analysis to provide long term performance of systems

Ensuring quality grid integration and grid compliance

Perform operation and maintenance of power systems to ensure quality control

Responsible for analyzing project development documents and provide recommendations, if required

Commissioning Engineer 01 May 2013 – to 28 Feb 2014 Soitec Solar

Projects Completed : Touwsrivier CPV Plant (36MW)

Train technicians and contractors with quality assurance and coach the staff on how to assemble the tracker system

Train customers on the operation of the CPV tracker system and wiring up the Tracker Control Unit and flash in the parameters

Prove and check correct assembly of the equipment and doing module and 4Q sensor alignment.

Perform IV curve testing and supervise the module alignment for the tracker system, configure IP address and prove communications to our local SCADA systems

Commissioning of the newly build 11kV/132kV substation and oversee the grid compliance testing

Commissioning Engineer 01 March 2012 – to 30 April 2013 Wandies Technical Services (WTS)

Receiving work orders, from City Power, and dispatch technicians/electricians to execute the jobs.

Performing feasibility studies and recommendations prior to commencement of projects

Be part of the outage planning for the distribution network within Johannesburg region.

Liaise with project leaders and be part of the Project Management meetings.

Supervise and witness test being performed on scheduled outages (OC,EF, ARC, Inter-tripping)

Bring together technical reports and recommendations on defective equipment’s

Accountable for IED settings and system fault calculations and prove functionality of the logics.

Performing standby shifts to attend to all electrical protection trips/alarms or any other malfunction of equipment’s.

Doing inspection on all the substations on weekly basis and report back

Order, purchase, receiving and installation of new equipment’s

Scheduling and conducting safety meetings

Maintain good relations with clients and subcontractors.

Senior Commissioning and Protection Technician 01 Dec 2010 – to 29 Feb 2012 Eskom Generation (Matimba Power Station)

Performing onsite test on High voltage equipment’s on both generation and transmission

Modifying of drawings and ensure approval from the mod-committee.

Designing new protection panels for the refurbishment project in the station and adherence to project budgets for design and commissioning

Taking part in outage maintenance on the power station, HV rooms, generator panels, diesel generator; transmission yard and outside plant

Responsible for dumping new setting into protection relays and ensures functionality.

Testing of new mini-subs, and auxiliary transformers for Medupi Power Station

Performing standby shifts to attend to all electrical protection trips/alarms or any other malfunction of equipment’s.

Performing generator test before synchronized to the nation grid.

Performing monthly maintenance on the units, and compiling protection operated reports (POR) on all genuine trips.

Witnessing factory acceptance test (FAT) in accordance to Eskom standards.

On site commissioning of protection and control systems and primary electrical plant associated with projects being completed in this field.

Assist and train newly appointed trainees.

Electrical Protection Technician 01 Sep 2008 – to 30 Nov 2010 Powertech IST

Commissioning of turnkey (new) substations and upgrading old substations, commissioned projects for these clients, Sasol Synfuels, eThekwini municipal, City Power, eKhuruleni municipal, Tshwane municipal, Rand water, Eskom

Knowledge and interpreting electrical drawings, logics and relays settings/ configuration

Installation and commissioning of protection schemes on customer sites

Test protection relays returned to Powertech-IST for repair and file fault reports to the customers and manufacture.

Interpret and compile commission test reports.

Performing commissioning tests on high voltage equipment and associated equipment

Ensure that quality standards are maintained and adhered to.

Fault finding and commissioning of high voltage equipment control panels as per drawings on site.

Liaise with customers to arrange site access for the commissioning of high voltage equipment.

Maintain good relations with clients and subcontractors

Technician 01 June 2006 – to 15 Aug 2008 South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)

Conducts test and technical activities in the facility.

Execute maintenance of the plant and updating maintenance files.

Witnessing routine tests for transformers

Calibrating of machinery in the laboratory

Setting up the timer, data capture system, receivers and transmitters of the plant for every test to be conducted.

Running up and barring of the machines using PLC/SCADA systems

Drafting quotations in accordance to NETFA quality systems

Testing accessories such as prefabricated mini-substation, high voltage switches, ring main unit RMU, switchgear, power & distribution transformers, current transformers.

Performing tests such as short circuit, temperature rise, internal arcing, breaking and making capacity etc.

EDUCATION

2004 - 2007 Tshwane South College

National Diploma: Electrical Engineering

1999 - 2003 Mahwibitswane High School

Grade 12 –Senior Certificate

TRAINING

Project Management

PVSyst Software (Switzerland)

ISO/IEC 17025 Laboratory System (QMS)

REFERENCE

Mr D. Milazi : CEF

Contact No : 071-***-****

Mr C. Shibambu : Globeleq

Contact No : 060-***-****

Mrs B Khambule : Imbawula Technical Services

Contact No : 082 529 363

Gaoshitwe Lekoloane

Dr Van Der Merwe Rd, Pretoria, Montana • 073-***-**** • adnt57@r.postjobfree.com.

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