Choosing the best site for a solar PV installation can be hard - anything from the price of land to the price of electricity, or even community opinion and acceptance can influence the decision. Sometimes, this formula adds up to a situation in which the project developer chooses a site that is geographically complex. This complexity can create technical challenges for the EPC team.

Thankfully, Trina has the answer with TrinaPro, the one-stop shop for utility-scale and C&I solar PV installations. TrinaPro partners with project developers and EPCs from initial concept through finished site, working with all the stakeholders to streamline the build out every step of the way.

During this partnership, TrinaPro incorporates the site design with the procurement and installation phases, ensuring a seamless process that optimizes the solar PV site in terms of layout and output.

Why is Site Design Important for Solar Projects?

There are a host of complex mechanical and engineering variables involved in designing and building the perfect solar PV site. Ground-mounted or rooftop? If the former, what kind of trackers are needed? If the latter, what’s the load limit? What’s the desired power generation? How many panels, inverters, and other balance-of-system components will be necessary to meet this goal?

This all must be figured out in tandem with the interconnection to the local electric distribution company, all while navigating the applicable local, regional, and state regulations that apply to the integration of the solar PV project to the grid.

And that’s just the technical aspects of the site design. In addition, an assortment of topographical, geological, and geographic factors will impact the overall site design. Are there any waterways running through the proposed site? Is it flat or hilly? Sandy or grassy? Is it in a warm or a cold climate? What are the seasonal averages for the available daily sunlight? Shading is also a vitally important variable that needs to be considered - this includes incorporating the growth patterns of trees as well as calculating the sun’s trajectory.

The sheer complexity required in the site design and installation layout make it an extremely important phase in the project. A lack of experience and expertise can lead to any number of mistakes, such as miscommunications, an increase in change orders, failed inspections, and schedule overruns. Any one of these can have lasting detrimental effects on the project’s energy production. This cuts into the overall profitability and can hurt the long-term performance and return of the solar PV installation.

TrinaPro’s Solution For Solar PV System Design

Partnering with TrinaPro provides project developers and EPCs with the experience and expertise to handle the entire system design process. Some typical steps during this phase might include:

• Compiling a solar PV project assessment.
• Producing a site engineering analysis.
• Engineering the PV system size, conceptual design elements, and site specifications.
• Calculating cost estimates for the solar PV installation.
• Conducting economic analysis of the proposed solar PV site’s characteristics.
• Drafting a final report.

Depending on the complexity of the factors, this can vary to include more steps or fewer.

While this is all happening, TrinaPro is also hard at work on the procurement process. With decades in manufacturing and an international supply chain, Trina has a wide variety of durable and highly resilient solar PV modules and smart solar systems to match the specific needs of any site. Combining the procurement process with the site design allows TrinaPro to further streamline the entire project development, saving time and money.

Click here to learn more about how TrinaPro optimizes system design for complex solar PV sites.