Procurement/Quality Case Studies
Case Study – Price Advantage
PVBuyer’s team of solar experts first procurement contract was in 2008 for a subsidiary of Credit Agricole in France. For this project, we procured 24 MW of specially designed Suntech modules. The pricing for our client was fixed at a price far below what Suntech’s local salesman was offering our client directly.
Case Study – Module Quality Claim
One of our banking clients had a large quality claim due to microcracks. These microcracks did not appear during production but only appeared after the modules were put through the temperature cycling on a roof for a 6 month period. The supplier was a top Tier 1 manufacturer that was going through a financial restructuring. Because of the relationship that PVBuyer had with this supplier’s C-Suite, we were able to have 900kw of modules replaced immediately and now the project is over performing in the field.
Case Study – Cradle to Grave Module Procurement
In the US, we recently handled the “cradle to grave” procurement of 42 MW of modules for a UK based Private Equity Fund. For this project, PVBuyer handled the pricing and contract negotiation with Chinese manufacturer’s legal teams and arranged a Standby Letter of Credit with the Bank of China to protect our client’s down payment. We also arranged a Documentary Letter of Credit to release payments once the modules were safely delivered to our warehouse. For this procurement contract, PVBuyer set up 2 warehouses in Long Beach, CA and one warehouse in Newark, NJ and oversaw the delivery of the modules to 200+ jobsites throughout the US within a 2 hour timeframe. For these multiple projects, we also managed the import and customs clearance of 200+ shipping containers from JA Solar and Hanwha/Q-Cells.
Case Study – Damaged Module Replacement
PVBuyer was tasked by a client to find out of date, older model modules to replace some modules that were damaged in a snowstorm. PVBuyer was able to locate these discontinued modules and have them delivered to the jobsite and installed in 1 week.
Case Study – Customs Clearance Anti Dumping Duties
Before the last round of Anti Dumping measures were levied on Chinese made modules, one of our clients purchased 6.2 MW of Tier 1 modules on a CIF US port basis, as the manufacturer was unwilling to assume the Anti Dumping Duty risk. Although production and shipment from China was delayed, PVBuyer was able to expedite customs clearance and saved our client $3.2 million in duties by successfully clearing customs 24 hours before Anti Dumping Duties came into effect.
Case Study - Engineering Preparation
PVBuyer recently procured 5.3 MW of fixed tilt ground mounts and modules for a 5.3 MW project in Suriname for a gold mining client. Due to the engineering, training and spare parts stock that were prepared ahead of time, the 5.3 MW project was installed in a remote jungle without the client making one phone call to our engineering team.
PVBuyer’s team of solar experts first procurement contract was in 2008 for a subsidiary of Credit Agricole in France. For this project, we procured 24 MW of specially designed Suntech modules. The pricing for our client was fixed at a price far below what Suntech’s local salesman was offering our client directly.
Case Study – Module Quality Claim
One of our banking clients had a large quality claim due to microcracks. These microcracks did not appear during production but only appeared after the modules were put through the temperature cycling on a roof for a 6 month period. The supplier was a top Tier 1 manufacturer that was going through a financial restructuring. Because of the relationship that PVBuyer had with this supplier’s C-Suite, we were able to have 900kw of modules replaced immediately and now the project is over performing in the field.
Case Study – Cradle to Grave Module Procurement
In the US, we recently handled the “cradle to grave” procurement of 42 MW of modules for a UK based Private Equity Fund. For this project, PVBuyer handled the pricing and contract negotiation with Chinese manufacturer’s legal teams and arranged a Standby Letter of Credit with the Bank of China to protect our client’s down payment. We also arranged a Documentary Letter of Credit to release payments once the modules were safely delivered to our warehouse. For this procurement contract, PVBuyer set up 2 warehouses in Long Beach, CA and one warehouse in Newark, NJ and oversaw the delivery of the modules to 200+ jobsites throughout the US within a 2 hour timeframe. For these multiple projects, we also managed the import and customs clearance of 200+ shipping containers from JA Solar and Hanwha/Q-Cells.
Case Study – Damaged Module Replacement
PVBuyer was tasked by a client to find out of date, older model modules to replace some modules that were damaged in a snowstorm. PVBuyer was able to locate these discontinued modules and have them delivered to the jobsite and installed in 1 week.
Case Study – Customs Clearance Anti Dumping Duties
Before the last round of Anti Dumping measures were levied on Chinese made modules, one of our clients purchased 6.2 MW of Tier 1 modules on a CIF US port basis, as the manufacturer was unwilling to assume the Anti Dumping Duty risk. Although production and shipment from China was delayed, PVBuyer was able to expedite customs clearance and saved our client $3.2 million in duties by successfully clearing customs 24 hours before Anti Dumping Duties came into effect.
Case Study - Engineering Preparation
PVBuyer recently procured 5.3 MW of fixed tilt ground mounts and modules for a 5.3 MW project in Suriname for a gold mining client. Due to the engineering, training and spare parts stock that were prepared ahead of time, the 5.3 MW project was installed in a remote jungle without the client making one phone call to our engineering team.
