2 MIN READ

Overview summary

  • CNY 1 million saved with digital twin
  • 30 days faster construction
  • CNY 600,000 in materials savings
  • 40 rework instances eliminated

Bentley iTwin and SYNCHRO 4D help speed construction and reduce material usage, generating CNY 1 million in savings.

About the Customer

POWERCHINA Hubei Electric Engineering Co., Ltd.

Building 1,200 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030

POWERCHINA Hubei Electric Engineering, a leading Chinese engineering firm specializing in energy and infrastructure projects, built an 80-megawatt solar station to support China’s ambitious clean energy goals. Because the solar site was in an area dominated by hills, pine woods, and fishponds, the engineering team had to carefully choose a location that could accommodate 14,080 solar panels with minimal environmental impact. To build the complex project, POWERCHINA Hubei chose Bentley’s suite of digital tools for a connected data environment, seamless collaboration, and digital twin capabilities.

Challenging terrain demanded custom support structures and unique tilt angles for all 14,080 solar panels, far beyond the capabilities of POWERCHINA Hubei’s existing software. To achieve a smaller booster station footprint and maximize energy production, the team turned to advanced digital technologies. By adopting Bentley’s interoperable tools to build a comprehensive digital twin, the engineering team achieved advanced modeling, streamlined lifecycle management, and better collaboration. This approach enabled them to overcome terrain challenges, reduce costs, accelerate construction, and ensure efficient, reliable plant operations.

Solutions Applied

1. Data-Driven Digital Twin Trims Power Station Footprint

Bentley digital twin technology shrunk the power station footprint and saved CNY 1 million by automatically generating and placing models within the digital twin.

2. Maximized Electrical Production with Angle Automation

MicroStation and OpenBuildings Designer enabled the automated placement and angle of each solar panel, ensuring optimal sunlight exposure for maximum power generation.

3. Faster Construction and Engineering Savings

Bentley iTwin helped detect and resolve 40 potential clashes, saving CNY 800,000, while SYNCHRO 4D optimized the construction schedule to accelerate the timeline by 30 days.

The project was an innovative application of mountainous photovoltaic projects in the new energy sector. It provided an excellent design scheme using complete solutions and supported procurement and construction management using digital twin models, providing high-quality construction management.

– Zhu Hanwei, Secretary General of the Information Technology Working Committee, Exploration and Design Association of Hubei Province