Solar Energy Development and Valuation

Transforming Sunlight into Sustainable Power

Solar energy remains one of the most rapidly expanding segments of the renewable energy sector due to declining technology costs, government incentives, and growing environmental concerns. From feasibility studies and system design to financial valuation and forensic investigations from intellectual property (IP) to contracts, EPS offers the technical, economic, and regulatory expertise to propel your solar energy projects to success.

Industry Challenges, IP, and EPS Solutions

The solar energy industry involves a range of technical, financial, and operational considerations:

Site Assessment and Feasibility

Identifying optimal locations for solar installations, accounting for solar irradiance, land use, topography, and environmental factors that affect return on investment.

Technology Selection and Optimization

Navigating the multitude of photovoltaic (PV) technologies—monocrystalline, polycrystalline, thin-film, perovskite solar cells, or advanced solutions—as well as Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems, to maximize performance within your specific site constraints and financial goals.

Grid Interconnection and Compliance

Meeting utility and regulatory requirements, including Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rules and the policies of Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) or Independent System Operators (ISOs), to ensure efficient integration with the power grid.

Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and Incentive Structures

Managing complex financial models, net metering, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), Investment Tax Credits (ITCs), and other incentives that significantly influence project viability.

Hybrid and Storage Integration

Evaluating the benefits of coupling solar power with energy storage systems (e.g., BESS) or hybrid renewable systems to enhance reliability, reduce intermittency, and optimize peak demand management.

Our Services

  • Performing irradiance assessments, shading analyses, and feasibility modeling to guide site selection and design.

  • Providing detailed engineering plans for both utility-scale and distributed solar projects, including PV configuration, structural analysis, and electrical design.

  • Delivering fair market valuations for solar farm assets, solar panels, inverters, and balance-of-system components, while evaluating incentive programs and market projections.

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  • Investigating equipment malfunctions, underperforming systems, or contractual disputes to identify liabilities, mitigate risks, and recommend technical or operational improvements.

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  • Guiding your project through permitting, environmental impact studies, and mitigation strategies that comply with federal, state, and local regulations, as well as RTO/ISO market requirements.

  • Offering technical and economic analyses, expert testimony, and robust valuation reports in legal matters such as intellectual property disputes, trade secret misappropriation, or construction deficiencies.

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  • Evaluating assets during mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures to uncover hidden risks, appraise asset values, and provide guidance on deal terms and financing options.

Why Choose EPS?

Comprehensive Solar Expertise
Our professionals possess deep experience across solar development, from small-scale rooftop installations to utility solar farms, ensuring holistic support tailored to your project scope.

Multidisciplinary Team
Licensed engineers, environmental specialists, forensic investigators, and appraisers combine their capabilities to provide thorough solutions encompassing technical, legal, and financial dimensions.

Robust Methodologies
EPS integrates advanced modeling software, market analyses, and engineering protocols to create transparent, defensible studies understandable by both stakeholders and courtrooms.

Regulatory Proficiency
From local permitting to national regulations governed by the FERC, we navigate the labyrinth of approvals and compliance requirements for seamless project progression.

Proven Litigation and Valuation Strength
Decades of courtroom and arbitration experience allow us to transform highly technical information into compelling testimony that supports legal proceedings effectively.

  • Solar Energy Technology

    Solar Energy Technologies and Misappropriation of Trade Secrets

    Challenge: A solar energy technology company faced allegations of trade secret misappropriation related to proprietary solar panel technologies, with conflicting narratives around the value and confidentiality of the claimed information.

    Solution: EPS conducted an in-depth forensic investigation, analyzing whether the designated documents met trade secret criteria and appraising the economic value of the alleged misappropriated technologies.

    Result: EPS demonstrated that the purported trade secrets were largely obsolete, publicly known, or lacked independent economic value, significantly weakening the claimant's case. This contributed to a favorable arbitration outcome by effectively disputing and vast dismissal of the $34 million in claims.

About Dr. John A. Williams

Leadership in Solar Energy Development and Valuations

Dr. John A. Williams, PE, ASA, MBA, CFEI, AIChE Fellow, is the founder and General Manager of EPS. He has guided EPS's engagement in solar project valuation, process optimization, and technical forensics for decades, supporting clients in achieving reliable and profitable solar energy solutions.

Dr. Williams ensures every solar project engagement benefits from a blend of forward-thinking ingenuity and precise financial scrutiny.

    • Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) – Machinery & Technical Specialties in Energy

    • Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) – National Association of Fire Investigators

    • Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

    • PhD in Chemical and Fuels Engineering – University of Utah

    • MBA in Finance – University of Chicago

    • BS in Chemistry – University of Delaware

    • Licensed Professional Engineer in more than 20 states