Services & Solutions

End-to-end control systems engineering for renewable power plants.

From concept and control philosophy through commissioning and long-term support, we cover the full lifecycle of the control, monitoring, and automation layer on your plant.

Six core service areas, engineered around outcomes.

Every service is built around the same goals: plant availability, grid-code compliance, operational visibility, and long-term reliability. Explore each area to see what's included and when it fits.

01 · Plant Control

Plant Control Systems & PPC Engineering

What it is

Custom and pre-engineered power plant controllers (PPC) for solar, BESS, hybrid, and other renewable plants — covering active/reactive power dispatch, ramp-rate control, and coordination across inverters, trackers, and substation equipment.

When you need it

Any grid-connected renewable plant above the threshold for grid-code control. Especially critical for utility-scale sites, mixed-vendor inverter fleets, and projects with tight compliance deadlines.

Problem it solves

Generic, off-the-shelf PPCs struggle with real-site complexity — multiple inverter brands, hybrid topologies, non-standard substation layouts. We deliver a controller that matches the plant as built.

What's included

  • Control philosophy & design
  • PLC & RTU programming
  • Setpoint logic & ramp control
  • Inverter fleet integration
  • Substation interface
  • Factory & site acceptance testing
02 · SCADA & Monitoring

SCADA Integration & Operational Visibility

What it is

Unified SCADA and HMI platforms that aggregate inverters, trackers, weather stations, metering, and substation data into one operator view — on-site, cloud, or hybrid deployment.

When you need it

Every operating plant needs SCADA. You need Setcon's when you're fighting fragmented dashboards, poor alarm discipline, or can't get useful historical data out of the system you have.

Problem it solves

Operators can't act on what they can't see. We design SCADA around the operator's actual workflow — prioritised alarms, clear navigation, fast historians, and the reports your team actually uses.

What's included

  • HMI design & development
  • Alarm management
  • Historian & reporting
  • Remote access & cyber-security
  • Multi-vendor integration
  • Operator training
03 · Grid-Code Compliance

Grid Integration & Compliance Engineering

What it is

Design and testing of the control functions that prove your plant meets the relevant grid code — active/reactive power, frequency response, voltage regulation, fault ride-through, and dispatch interfaces.

When you need it

Before energisation, during grid-code compliance testing, and any time the code is revised or your connection agreement changes.

Problem it solves

Grid-code failures at commissioning stall revenue and erode utility trust. We engineer compliance from the control philosophy up — not as a last-mile patch — so first-pass approval is the expected outcome.

What's included

  • South African grid code (NRS / NERSA)
  • Active & reactive power control
  • Frequency & voltage response
  • Fault ride-through logic
  • Compliance test support
  • Utility dispatch interfaces
04 · Optimisation

Advanced Control & Performance Optimisation

What it is

Smart dispatch strategies, storage co-ordination, curtailment management, and performance tuning that extract more usable energy out of the assets already on site.

When you need it

Once the plant is operating and you're asking — or your shareholders are asking — why actual yield doesn't match the P50.

Problem it solves

A plant that passes compliance isn't necessarily earning what it could. We look at dispatch behaviour, curtailment patterns, BESS cycling, and tracker algorithms to close the gap between “working” and “optimal.”

What's included

  • Performance auditing
  • Dispatch & curtailment logic
  • BESS co-ordination
  • Tracker / MPPT tuning
  • Model-based control
  • Ongoing optimisation reviews
05 · Retrofits

Retrofits, Upgrades & Modernisation

What it is

Bringing ageing or under-spec control systems up to current engineering, compliance, and cyber-security standards — without rebuilding the plant.

When you need it

When obsolete hardware is risking downtime, when grid code changes have outpaced your installed controller, or when a buyer / lender requires modernised controls as part of due diligence.

Problem it solves

Legacy PLCs and SCADA systems become expensive liabilities. We migrate logic, replace hardware, and harden communications with minimum-downtime strategies tested on live sites.

What's included

  • System audit & risk assessment
  • PLC / RTU replacement
  • Code migration & rewrites
  • Protocol upgrades (DNP3, IEC 61850)
  • Cyber-security hardening
  • Staged cutover planning
06 · Commissioning & Support

Commissioning, Handover & Long-Term Support

What it is

On-site commissioning, factory and site acceptance testing, operator training, and ongoing technical support agreements — with remote response options tailored to each plant.

When you need it

At energisation, at every major system change, and continuously through the life of the plant.

Problem it solves

A control system is only as good as its handover and what happens after. We bridge design intent and operational reality, then stay available for the years that follow — not just the warranty period.

What's included

  • Factory acceptance testing (FAT)
  • Site acceptance testing (SAT)
  • Grid-code compliance testing
  • Operator training
  • Remote support agreements
  • Scheduled maintenance & updates

A clear, repeatable engineering process.

Whichever service you engage us for, the path is the same — scoped, engineered, tested, and supported.

01

Discover & Scope

Plant topology, inverter fleet, grid connection, operational goals. We design around what's real, not assumed.

02

Design & Engineer

Control philosophy, I/O architecture, SCADA layout, cyber-security, and grid-code logic — documented and reviewable.

03

Build & FAT

Panel build, PLC / RTU programming, HMI development, and factory acceptance testing before anything leaves the workshop.

04

Commission & Support

On-site SAT, grid-code compliance testing, operator training, and a long-term support agreement tailored to your site.

Need a control system engineered around your plant?

Whether it's a new build, a retrofit, or a performance review — start with a technical conversation.

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