FIRST SOLAR

First Solar, a leading industrial manufacturing company, invested in building a plant spanning an impressive 2.4 million square feet that required a comprehensive Building Automation System (BAS) to manage its critical infrastructure, including a 15,000-ton chilled water plant. The project demanded a rapid deployment within a challenging 14-month timeline, highlighting the need for efficient engineering, programming, and installation.

The facility implemented the Automated Logic WebCTRL® building automation system to provide full control over its extensive chilled water plant and other vital building systems. This IP-based system manages a wide range of equipment, including a 15,000-ton chilled water plant, rooftop units (RTUs), heat exchangers, VAVs, fan coils, and more. This large-scale, turnkey BAS project encompassed a wide range of integrations, ensuring seamless operation and optimized performance across the entire manufacturing environment.

The integrated solution also includes:

• (1) 15,000 Ton Chilled Water Plant w/ 5 3,000-ton Chillers in Parallel, 5 Multi-cell Cooling Towers, Make-up Water Reclaim System, 30 Pumps, 8 Heat Exchangers, and Fully Monitored Water Filtration System fully under IP based OptiFlex Controls.
• OptiFlex Integration to (5) Water Cooled Air Compressors Serving Process Machines – Those machines are:
• (152) Rooftop Units w/ Full ALC Controls
• Systems Involved:
  • Emergency Power System Integration: (4) Gen Sets + (9) ATS + (4) UPS
  • Lighting System BACnet Integration
  • Process Utility Monitoring to All Machine Drops: Pressure, Temperature and Gas Flow 100+ Sensors
  • Office + Cafeteria Controls Including (41) VAV boxes, (2) VAV AHUs, (2) Kitchen MAUs
  • LEL Monitoring and Exhaust Management for sensitive areas
  • Fan Coil and Split Systems Control for Reliability Lab Space

This project stands as a testament to the power of advanced building automation in large-scale industrial settings. By leveraging the WebCTRL® system, First Solar's manufacturing facility achieved a fully integrated and highly efficient operational environment, setting a new standard for industrial BAS implementation. This success not only optimized the facility's performance but also solidified a long-term partnership for future projects.