Project Development

Project Development

​Mint selection support our clients through the life-cycle of Project development, construction, and operations.

Regardless of the technology being employed, the process of development is roughly the same whether it’s for a Battery Energy Storage, Offshore Wind or Waste-to-Energy facility.

In each case, before a project can be built, significant preparation is needed. This includes identifying the site, environmental impact assessment, securing planning permission (consents), connection agreements, engineering design, and selecting the wide range of companies who will be involved in the project’s implementation – EPC, ICP, liaison with DNO’s and in some cases TNO’s.

The process of developing a project is typically led by a Project Director or Project Developer. It is the responsibility of the project developer to:

1. Identify the site

2. Secure Consents (Planning & Permitting)

3. Secure Connections (Offtake, Gas, Electrical, Water+)

4. Environmental Impact Assessment

5. Engage with Licensing

6. Select the Technology

7. Sign off on the Design

8. Select project Partners – EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction), ICP (Independent Connection Provider), DNO (District Network Operator), TNO (Transmission Network Operator)

Typically a project developer will have an engineering background (it could be mechanical, civil or electrical) or, a project finance / commercial background (Covered in ‘Finance into Energy’)

Project Construction

Once FID (Final Investment Decision) has been reached (Refer to ‘Finance Into Energy’), the go-ahead to the respective project partners / internal teams will be given and this ‘shovel ready’ project will start to take shape.

At this point, the Project Directors job will shift from design, selection and permitting to oversight. Technical specialists will become involved on the part of the developer, Owners Engineers, potentially the lenders, Lenders engineers and certainly the delivery party – the EPC’s Project Managers and Site Managers.

Project Operations

As the project construction moves to a close and a site is ready for energisation the construction professionals will give way to Operations and Maintenance. This is where the Asset Management (See ‘Asset’) team will pay close attention to FAT, Final Acceptance Testing and closing down the snag items on any punch list. It is the job of the Asset Manager / Operations & Maintenance lead to ensure the site is operating at full capacity within the constraints of the technology, Health Safety & Environmental limitations.

As the project moves out of the handover period the Operations & Maintenance teams Analysts and Technicians will manage the asset with the support of Asset Management.

In the case of certain technologies at points in a project lifespan, there are upgrades and retrofits. In each case the Operations & Maintenance team will work with Asset Management and third parties often repeating elements of the initial construction – examples include Blade or Battery replacements.