Solar systems are the future. From 2050, the EU wants to produce only emission-neutral electricity. By 2030, emissions are to be at least 55% below the 1990 level. In December, the German government set ambitious targets for the expansion of solar energy. As a result, Thuringia, for example, has resumed funding for corresponding systems in 2021. In August 2020, the so-called PV cap – i.e. the limit on the feed-in tariff for correspondingly generated electricity – was lifted.
The demand for solar systems and solar parks is booming. In addition to private individuals, more and more companies are also looking for corresponding options for electricity production. Suppliers have to cope with rapidly growing demand . An intelligent Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution supports companies in the planning of solar plants and parks. There is a wide range of support available.
ERP: Cockpit of business processes
The English acronym ERP is commonly translated into German as “solution for planning company resources”. It is a bundle of applications with which you
The tasks that an ERP solution handles are correspondingly complex. This is why data from other systems is often integrated. An ERP usually has the following functions:
- Determination of capacities in the areas of production, personnel, materials and finance
- Planning the professional use of these resources
- Monitoring of processes (for example, is production fast enough?)
- Assistance for customers (for example, they can use an interface to find out how quickly a particular product is available)
- Suggestions for optimization options
- Automation of processes that previously had to be carried out manually
These features are fundamental components of an ERP system. In addition, the solution is usually supplemented with artificial intelligence and designed to be as intuitive as possible. The complexity of the use cases should not have a negative impact on the user experience.
ERP data as the basis for planning solar systems
When planning and selling solar systems, the kilowatt hours of electricity generated are the basis for calculation. Reliable values are essential in order to create a suitable offer. These include, for example
- How much electricity is currently being consumed or is to be generated?
- What space is available?
- What is the optimum system size?
- How big does an emergency storage unit need to be?
- Where is there potential for savings?
- What requirements must the system meet? For example, must it be able to conduct electricity to different locations?
- Are further structural changes necessary and if so, who will carry them out and how much will they cost?
- Which material is needed when, where and in what quantity?
- What relocations are necessary?
- Where is the material currently located: in the main warehouse, on the construction site or being transported by truck?
To find the answers to these questions, all business processes and data are fully mapped in the ERP system. This also applies, for example, to the identification of different locations and the consideration of transport routes.
“With the help of an intelligent ERP system, you can plan the project optimally and calculate yield values.”
Case study: Advantages of planning solar systems with an ERP solution
BayWa r.e. Solar Energy Systems, the market leader in subsidy-free large-scale PV power plants, introduced a modern ERP system in 2018. The company is active in the areas of wholesale, production, project planning and development of photovoltaic projects. The use of the ERP solution has resulted in the following
- The number of orders processed daily more than doubled.
- Project work was expanded into a fully-fledged business area.
- Automations carried out using artificial intelligence speed up numerous processes.
- Interfaces, locations and stock levels are accurately recorded digitally. This allows item stocks and their availability to be used reliably for planning purposes.
Central ERP system enables efficient project planning
BayWa r.e. ‘s success is not an isolated case. The use of an ERP system enables simple and efficient project planning of solar plants. Further helpful tips and application examples from our digitalization project with BayWa r.e. Solar Energy Systems can be found in the case study.
