Successful solar energy project development depends on many factors, including accurate budgeting, realistic timelines, supply chain management, and the performance of vendors and suppliers. Getting everybody in alignment early in the planning process will ensure that the project is delivered on time, on budget, and with no safety incidents.
End-to-End Solar Energy Project Development
When developing a solar project, it’s important to have a clear view of the big picture from the outset. In addition to critical metrics—such as the amount of land required to produce the electricity you intend to generate and the size of the community that will be served—solar projects must also consider:
- Safety requirements
- Environmental regulations
- Site clearing and preparation
- Civil engineering
- Underground infrastructure
- Relationships with neighboring properties
- Traffic management
- Pile driving and rack mounting
- Supply chain management
- Site restoration
- Ongoing site maintenance
Making it all work depends on having the right people with the right equipment at the right time.
Solar Energy Project Development and Successful Vendor Partnerships
A single entity cannot provide all the necessary services for a solar project. Depending on site conditions, you might need a geotechnical survey, a civil contractor, an electrician, and other professional services. Cultivating partnerships with various vendors—and ensuring they’re all on the same page—is critical for success.
Build the right team.
Successful solar energy project development relies on various skill sets. Building a team that covers all the bases often requires working with multiple vendors. Choose qualified providers that have experience with utility and solar projects.
Look for core strengths.
Providers have varying levels of experience in different areas. Ensure the vendors you hire are selected for their core strengths and work on the project elements that relate to those strengths. It might be tempting to bundle services with a single provider, but if they are weak in certain areas, it could harm your project and eliminate any efficiencies you were hoping to gain.
Create alignment between team members.
Operating in silos can create inefficiencies and potentially lead to errors. Ensure all project partners are aligned with the overall goals and their specific roles. Define the points where project partners will have to work together and ensure that expectations, schedules, and budgets are in alignment so there is clarity from the outset.
Cultivate communication.
No project will be successful without good communication between stakeholders and project partners. Give project partners all the information they need to meet their goals. This includes key timelines, drawings relevant to the project, and analysis of environmental concerns. Communicate both the big picture and the small details, and ensure the proper lines of communication are clear to all involved.
Put safety first.
Safety on a solar site is everybody’s responsibility. The more you can prepare in advance, the better the outcome. Ensure that documentation is up to date and a safety program is in place before anybody steps foot on the site. Provide any necessary training before the project begins and maintain communication about potential hazards and how to avoid them. Have a designated safety person on site and ensure all vendor partners are committed to high safety standards.
Solar Energy Project Development with YAK ACCESS
YAK ACCESS is the whole package when it comes to site clearing, temporary roads, pile driving and racking, environmental compliance, and site restoration for solar projects. We even have a business unit that specializes in traffic control when necessary. With decades of utility and solar project experience, our teams have encountered—and overcome—every imaginable obstacle. We know how to plan for success and prepare for the worst so that your project stays on track.
To learn more about everything that goes into getting a site ready for a solar installation, read The Complete Guide to Site Preparation for Solar Energy Projects.
