Redefining Renewable Project Efficiency

Redefining Renewable Project Efficiency: The Role of EBOS in Long-Term Economics

Few industries have seen cost reductions as dramatic as renewable energy over the past decade. Between 2010 and 2022, solar and wind power became cost-competitive with fossil fuels, and the global weighted average cost of electricity from solar and onshore wind dropped 89% and 69%, respectively. While an 80% reduction in solar panel costs and a 50% reduction in wind turbine costs have driven much of this progress, the next wave of cost efficiency isn't coming from panels or turbines; it’s emerging from the electrical systems that connect them.

Electrical systems are increasing in size, with DC voltages rising to 1500V, 2000V, and beyond to improve efficiency and lower costs. Electrical balance of system (EBOS) is the critical but often overlooked infrastructure that enables power collection and system safety. EBOS includes a system’s essential electrical components, such as switches, circuit breakers, fuses, wiring, and surge protection devices, among others.

Strategic optimization of EBOS delivers long-term value through enhanced reliability, simplified maintenance, and reduced operational costs. Fast, smart, and safe EBOS solutions reduce material usage, simplify installation, and improve energy collection efficiency, giving industry leaders the tools to extend asset lifespans and improve performance throughout the entire project lifecycle. As renewable energy scales to meet growing demand, EBOS reliability and performance will be increasingly crucial to long-term project success.

The Critical Role of EBOS in Project Success
Critical to system operation, EBOS brings together generation sources connecting to distribution solutions, ensuring safe power transmission. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, renewable energy projects face greater environmental stresses. High-performing EBOS components prevent system failures in the face of these harsh weather conditions, especially in desert heat and coastal humidity, where renewable energy projects are commonly developed.

Industry statistics show electrical failures are among the top causes of renewable energy downtime, highlighting the need for reliable EBOS components. For example, last year, inverters, strings, and combiners made up 80% of all equipment-caused power losses. A 2024 report that analyzed over 100,000 renewable energy systems in the U.S. and Puerto Rico similarly found wiring and connector issues in 83% of projects.

ABB's comprehensive approach to electrical protection safeguards critical equipment throughout the entire lifecycle, integrating advanced product design with intelligent connectivity and enabling remote diagnostics and rapid issue resolution to maximize system performance.

The Power of Partnership in EBOS Innovation
Meeting increasingly demanding performance requirements requires collaboration across the renewable energy ecosystem. By sharing expertise between stakeholders, the industry can drive innovation and simplify electrical systems while making installation and operation more intuitive and streamlined.

Likewise, ABB customer feedback directly shapes product improvements, providing critical insight into optimal mounting configurations, installation requirements, and system performance needs. Continued collaboration and active discussion between technology providers and field implementers will be essential for overcoming the technical challenges of higher voltage systems while maintaining reliability and safety standards.

Embracing the Digital Transformation
While EBOS components represent a modest portion of a project’s CapEx, advanced EBOS solutions deliver substantial benefits:

• Reduced infrastructure costs: 1500V systems allow for longer string lengths, reducing the number of combiner boxes, wiring runs, and connection points required.

• Lower installation and labor costs: Streamlined EBOS design minimizes material usage and labor-intensive installation work, ultimately reducing capital expenditure.

• Improved energy efficiency: Highly engineered EBOS components minimize energy losses during transmission, ensuring that more generated power reaches the grid or storage system.

For example, ABB's IEC-61850-compliant solutions enable seamless communication between compliant EBOS components and substations, expanding analytics capabilities and improving system reliability – and laying the foundation for the next generation of renewable energy infrastructure.

Future-Ready EBOS for Tomorrow's Grid
Emerging from field experience, new approaches to system design and advanced EBOS solutions are unlocking efficiencies that ripple across entire project lifecycles. Developers can strategically balance upfront CapEx with long-term O&M costs, using advanced monitoring capabilities to extend equipment life and reduce maintenance expenses. EPCs, utilities, and developers can implement fault prediction systems that identify potential issues before they impact production, dramatically improving uptime and reliability.

ABB is designing EBOS components for higher voltages, simplifying architectures, and integrating intelligent protection and control to ensure systems perform at the highest level in even the harshest environments.

To the innovators optimizing EBOS for better project economics, the problem-solvers tackling complex electrical challenges, and the forward-thinking teams driving renewable energy innovation – we see you.
 

May 2025
Brian Nelson
ABB U.S. Electrification — Renewables Segment Leader

For more information on maximizing system performance through strategic EBOS optimization, visit electrification.us.abb.com/industries/renewable-energy