As the solar industry grows, so does the demand for land. Historically, solar power plants were installed on flat land, even if the land was not originally flat. With the tremendous drop in module and balance-of-system costs, grading has become a key part of the project economics. Gone are the days a site can “just be graded”. Now, developers are focused on eliminating grading, especially as they expand into untraditional areas with more terrain challenges. Solar developers, contractors, and partners are tasked with finding solutions to tackle these less-than-ideal lands, oftentimes at higher associated costs.
When faced with non-flat terrain, solar developers need competitive solutions to meet capacity, production and cost goals. Conventional trackers require site grading to mimic flat-land environments due to the minimal allowable torque tube deflection along the length of the row. While this might seem like a reasonable solution, the cost of civil site work, environmental protections (SWPPP), and permitting often makes grading untenable.
This article originally appears in pv-magazine-usa.com.
