Zane is an Energy Analyst with diverse experience in identifying fatal flow and feasibility of locating renewable projects where environmental constraints intersect with project economic and transmission viability. His duties range from analyzing California energy needs while considering the latest SB 100 and 350 legislation and their impact on the California energy mix. Zane assists with performing hourly long-term wholesale energy price forecasts, which includes gathering, processing, analyzing, and presenting results.
Collaborating with a diverse group of professionals, Zane utilizes Geographic Information System (GIS), ArcGIS, and AutoCAD software to decipher land characteristics and the possibility of new greenfield developments, or expanding projects to other locations. Zane also assists with the use of AutoCAD to create scale models of solar panels on specific land sites.
A key component of the job is identifying the project’s buildable area for renewable generation by applying the environmental findings and physical surveys. This is done by using data from the National Aerial Imagery Program (NAIP), aerial photography, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps, National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) (to assess waters of the United States), National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) maps, NRCS hydric soils data, and NHD data (to assess wetland locations) to calculate the project buildable area and MW size consistent with environmental laws and policies of developing on various client land sites using ArcGIS, and AutoCAD software.
Zane holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography with minors in Public Planning & Policy Management and History from the University of Oregon, Eugene.
Certified GIS Specialist from the University of California, San Diego.
Recent accomplishments:
- Applied the wholesale energy price forecast of a 250 MW proposed renewable project in Southern California. Calculated the potential energy revenue from various combinations of solar/energy storage sizes, and time of delivery and created an optimized dispatch profile.
- Performed fatal flaw and feasibility analysis for over 1,870 MW of renewable projects in the Western, Ercot, and SPP regions.
- Identified Right of Way, land opportunities and easement alternatives for 320 MW of standalone battery projects for several clients.