Tatiane Carolina

ABSOLAR (Brazilian Association of Photovoltaic Solar Energy), to date we have more than 7 gigawatts (GW) of operational power, considering centralized generation and distributed generation, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 - The Evolution of the photovoltaic solar source in Brazil. Infographic source from ABSOLARNo. 28These data, which represent important milestones, are essential to demonstrate the growth of this renewable source in the country. Another important factor associated with this evolution was the reduction in the price of solar generation. In the last 10 years there has been a brutal drop in the prices of photovoltaic equipment, which helped to boost the sector, combined with government subsidy programs, sustainability awareness and the opening of new lines of financing that allowed the inclusion of low-income populations in energy. solar. Despite the pandemic, the photovoltaic sector proved to be very resilient, with the number of installations growing in Brazil. The evolution of the photovoltaic solar source has become a driver for competitiveness in the sector that has generated more than 233 thousand jobs in the country. When does the need to apply a project management methodology arise? There are those who think that project management is something “new ”. However, the essence of project management has existed for thousands of years, if we think about how the planning, administration and execution of the construction of historic monuments around the world took place. Planning, in particular, which is the crucial point of any project, often ends up being neglected. Modern project management was consolidated with the PMI (Project Management Institute), which produced the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) guide, providing information on process groups, knowledge areas, tools and techniques for project managers around the world. . According to the PMBOK's own definition, “a project is a temporary effort undertaken to create a unique product, service or result”. This definition arises because the effort is constrained by scarce resources, with a life cycle, that is, with a beginning, middle, and end. There is an emphasis on the result as it is necessary to define at the beginning what the objective of the project is, observing the scope, requirements and restrictions and assumptions, among other aspects. Therefore, when executing a solar energy project, the phases (groups of processes) that the project will need to be carried out successfully must be observed, which are represented in Figure 2. Figure 2 - Process groups. Source PMBOK, 6th editionInitiation: Group of processes to start the project, paying attention to all the information that will guide the development and closure of the project. Planning: Group of processes inherent to the use of tools and techniques to define how, when and by whom the project will be carried out. Execution: Group of processes that ensure that execution will be carried out as planned. Monitoring and control: Constant process group throughout the project - after all, what is not measured, is not managed. Finalization: Group of processes intended to close the project, one of the most important stages for the team and portfolio management. The need to apply the project management methodology arises with the initiation of the project itself and is essential. It is through this application that it becomes possible to execute successfully, providing excellent service to clients and investors. The PMBOK methodology also indicates 10 areas of knowledge, that is, 10 different aspects of any project, which must be worked on throughout the project, namely: Integration Management; Scope Management; Schedule Management; Cost Management; Quality;Acquisitions Management;Risk Management;Resource Management;Communication Management;Stakeholder Management.But, after all, how to apply project management strategically?Professional training of teams is a crucial factor for the success of companies. The project management perspective allows for a more strategic vision, guaranteeing high performance in relation to competitors who seek to “do things”, that is, the execution of activities without planning. Given this scenario, it is worth evaluating: What is the objective of the project? We must describe the objective in an intelligent and complete way, as it is what will guide the project. Example: Implement a solar photovoltaic plant of X MW, by month Y, in place X, in the state of SP, to generate savings of X%. What is the justification for the project? How important is this project? What need will it solve? Example: University X wants to promote sustainability and economy, aiming to influence students and employees with the implementation of this plant. What are the project constraints? What can't happen? These are factors that, if not observed, can cause idleness and consequently losses. Example: The execution cannot take place during class periods. What are the project premises? What can we adopt as true, but we will only discover throughout the project if it really is? In this case, for each premise it is necessary to adopt a form of mitigation. Example: University X will provide an area free of impediments to work. What are the project risks? What can we predict in all spheres? How are we going to classify these risks? How will we mitigate them? Example: Economic, social, technical, hydrological, environmental risks, etc. What are the project milestones? What are the deliverables? We must think about “packages” of work being delivered over time and these can even be linked to the contract and the physical financial schedule. Example: Delivery of the executive project, installation of all photovoltaic modules. Who will be involved in the project? Is the team outsourced or in-house? What are the roles and responsibilities of each person in the project? Example: John Doe – installer, Peter Doe – designer. What is the project budget? Remember that cost price is not sales price. Example: Give your team the budget (monetary value) of inputs and labor expected for execution, constantly monitor and control, propose bonuses by saving this value . What are the project scope exclusions? It usually causes concern about telling the team what to do, but it is also important to transmit information about what is not part of the scope. Example: In an EPCista contract, the laying of cables for a team is planned, but the team was not hired to dig the ditches. Therefore, there is a failure to detail the scope. If not listed at the beginning of the project, these scope exclusions, depending on the location of the photovoltaic solar plant, will result in losses and delays, especially if the activity is a predecessor. Companies stand out in the market due to their ability to respond quickly to changes, innovation, agility in decision-making and commitment to deadlines for their deliverables. ConclusionThe implementation of project management enables high performance for companies, making them capable of meeting expectations and needs of increasingly demanding customers and investors. The complexity of executing solar energy projects, in terms of managing deadlines, costs, quality, human resources, communication, risks, acquisitions, interested parties and other areas, simultaneously, requires the application of methodologies with appropriate tools and techniques to project management.

Tatiane Carolina

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Project management in the solar energy market