Independent Engineering

 

NorthernLights Advisory Services is an employee-owned company that works with developers, tax equity investors, and lenders of solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects to provide independent engineering services from pre-financing diligence through completion and operations diligence. Our team of professional engineers bring decades of experience to each engagement ensuring the unique and complex technical and commercial aspects of solar and BESS projects are well understood and can be conveyed to all stakeholders efficiently. Our team of experts are equipped to act quickly to support stakeholders as circumstances change, providing guidance to inform investment decisions throughout the financing and construction process. We provide solutions to complex technical issues through comprehensive analyses that help identify material risks and opportunities. We differentiate ourselves by providing detailed reviews of and definitive opinions that can be clearly explained to all stakeholders. With ever more compressed timelines, we are committed to being flexible as clients’ needs change to provide high quality due diligence in a timely manner without bias.

The Independent Engineering Practice is staffed with electrical, civil and structural engineers, former developers, technology experts, environmental experts, financial experts, and technical experts that have established themselves as trusted advisors to all parties.

The employees of NorthernLights Advisory Services have been involved in providing independent engineering services on more than 33.4 GW of solar and BESS assets over the past five years prior to joining the company. The figure below shows the location of a sample of solar and battery assets for which our consultants have provided independent engineering services.

Our Solar and Battery Independent Engineering Services include:

  • Early-stage resource/generation reviews

  • Fatal flaw reviews in support of construction financing

  • Early-stage resource/generation reviews

  • Phase 1 services (pre-financing):

    • Major participant qualifications reviews

    • Site control evaluations

    • Interconnection analysis & contract reviews

    • EPC contract reviews

    • Major equipment contract reviews

    • Technical review of major equipment and technologies

    • Design and performance reviews

    • O&M budget reviews

    • O&M plan reviews

    • Environmental and permitting

    • Equator Principles reviews

    • Financial model reviews

  • Phase 2 services (construction)

    • Construction monitoring, including physical and/or virtual visits and construction monitoring reporting

    • Completion phase reviews, including mechanical completion, commissioning, performance testing and substantial completion reviews

  • Phase 3 services (operation)

    • Operating performance reviews

    • O&M budget reviews

  • M&A buy-side/sell-side due diligence support

  • Serial defect reviews

  • Weather or fire-related damage reviews

  • Bankability reviews

  • Financial model development

  • Asset valuation

Our team averages over 20 years of independent engineering experience. In addition, our distinguished professionals are equipped with the most cutting-edge technical tools providing financeable results. How we differentiate ourselves:

  • Experience / Knowledge – Our team possesses many years of development and independent engineering experience resulting in reliable reviews, analyses, and opinions.

  • Adaptable – With development and financing timelines continuing to shorten, we maintain flexibility to serve the needs of stakeholders as changes occur throughout the financing and construction process.

  • Collaborative engagement – We pride ourselves on working collaboratively with all stakeholders to provide solutions, while maintaining full independence.

  • Cost effective / Value focused – We are a newly formed group that does not carry the high overhead cost of many larger firms resulting in lower rates and more value for each consulting hour.