Strengthen PV leadership through certified training

The collaboration between Fiers and Stäubli ensures that Fiers’ PV plant installers receive excellent training, promoting quality, safety, and innovation across all solar power plant construction sites. This alliance also strengthens Fiers’ standing in the solar market by leveraging Stäubli’s extensive experience. The first knowledge exchange was implemented for Belgium’s largest solar plant in Kristalpark Lommel.

About Fiers

Jeroen Fiers BV is one of the largest solar specialist subcontractors in the Benelux, with a focus on installing industrial-scale PV projects. With 15 years of experience in this industry, Fiers is well-positioned to deliver exceptional results. Today, their staff of over 250 skilled field installers annually completes more than 500 complex photovoltaic projects mainly in Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Germany. With a dedication to quality, Fiers cares not only about the project’s deadlines and solar installation quality but also about the people and the service for the built solar plants. Therefore, the company is committed to enhancing the skills of its team members.

The on-site PV training by the Stäubli Customer Academy perfectly aligns with Fiers’ needs to improve the competence and skills of its field technician teams.

To this end, it has integrated the Stäubli specialized MC4 assembly and eBOS best practice seminar into its training agenda to enhance the competencies of its field technicians and promote the safety of installed solar plants.

About the project

Although Belgium is not as space-rich as some countries, ground-mounted solar projects are experiencing significant growth. In the last two years, Belgium’s solar landscape is slowly shifting from traditionally residential and commercial rooftop systems to ground-mounted utility-scale installations. The Kristalpark in Lommel situated in the northeast of Belgium, close to the Dutch border, is a remarkable milestone in the country’s energy transformation. This significant project, initially launched with 99.5 MWp, is now expanding to increase its capacity by 34.4 MWp to a total of 133,9 MWp, with the installation of over 30’000 modules. The annual production is expected to be at 83 GWh.

Priorities

Maintaining the highest quality standards to ensure safe operation is at the core of Fiers’ mission. Therefore, the goal of the leading management is to stay up to date with the industry standards, being knowledgeable about all relevant regulations and best practices to ensure durability and safety. The Stäubli on-site visit at the Kristalpark in Lommel grounds confirmed this commitment to high-level craftsmanship and attention to small details.

• The cables were precision-cut, thoughtfully labeled and shielded. This enhances the lifespan and quality of connectivity of the cables, easing any maintenance.
• All non-connected cable strings in the installation were protected by dust caps, a crucial practice to prevent the ingress of dust or moisture. This could harm the contact element inside the insulation, which finally ensures consistent and loss-free energy transmission.
• Sharp edges of the basic infrastructure were protected by using “carrosserie tape”. The inverters were installed in shaded areas to prevent overexposure to direct sunlight. OMEXOM, the EPC company and Voestalpine Sadef NV, the mounting company in this project phase, collaborated closely to encase the cables in tubes to safeguard them from animals.

Solution

With this solid foundation for quality work, a first on-site training with the installer crew took place at Kristalpark. Despite their extensive experience, the Fiers’ crew gained significant insights into the core principles of the installation guidelines. The importance of proper crimping with certified tools, as well as the details of accurate torqueing, were highlighted, along with best practices for adhering to DC installation rules.

In line with its VCA certification, Fiers underscores its firm commitment to safety. This certification confirms that Fiers meets stringent safety, health, and environmental standards, ensuring that all projects are executed under optimal conditions and high-quality parameters. Therefore, all measures to consolidate safety and quality in their projects are part of their business practices.

Following the successful on-site training for the installers and the handover of their training certificates, a second training session was organized at the Fiers headquarters in Gent, targeting the company’s management level. Maarten Demeester, Fier’s director, participated jointly with the technical manager and the team leaders of the installation crews.

“With our market position in Benelux and our claim to stay top as quality solar construction partner, we are committed to invest in the health and safety of our installation teams and enhance our know-how in best-practice for PV DC installations. With Stäubli as a partner, we not only rely on quality and durable products but also on their expertise in this field, sharing their knowledge.”

Maarten Demeester, Director Fiers

The outcome

Fiers’ management is confident that the partnership with Stäubli offers substantial advantages by guaranteeing that installers receive comprehensive training whenever a new PV plant is established.

Stäubli’s dedication to foster high standards in PV installations is perfectly aligned with Fiers’ mission to deliver quality and ensure safety to its customers. The on-site training provided by Stäubli equips Fiers’ staff with essential knowledge on key aspects of solar power plant installation and connection. This includes hands-on instruction on techniques, procedures and tools for correctly assembling MC4 products, along with the binding guidelines for installing the DC wiring system.

The participants in the installer’s training agreed that the exchange with the Stäubli experts was very interesting and helpful. Even though they are already well-focused on quality work, the explanations, deep dive into details and hands-on practice hints fostered their skills.

By empowering the installation team with these critical skills, Fiers assures its customers of the enduring quality and efficiency of their solar projects.

As Fiers prepares for significant growth, this investment in knowledge will provide a solid foundation, strengthening its market position and enhancing the team’s expertise for the future.