Top 5 mistakes PV

developers make 


that cost a fortune:

These 5 mistakes can cost PV

developers time, money, and reputation.

Avoid them where you can!

The margins of a solar project have always been tight. But now they are coming under further
pressure from raw material shortages, high transport prices, supply chain constraints, and rising
financing costs — making it all the more essential for developers to ensure that their project designs
are cost-effective.

Is your current PV project as cost-effective as it could be?

There are several common mistakes that developers make that can ramp up the cost of installing a
photovoltaic (PV) system. Here are five mistakes you should avoid to save on cost overruns.

Table of Contents

01 04
Failing to secure community support Not choosing adequate equipment

02 05
Risking environmental damage Losing money and time on layout
planning

03
Failing to carry out geotechnical terrain
analysis
Failing to secure

community support
Starting a project without informing the local community 

or affected neighbors can result in complaints or lawsuits
that cause delays or even prevent the project from being
completed.

Large-scale solar farms are raising concerns among 


some local residents about the environmental impact 

of deforestation, landslides, glare, and damage from
electromagnetic fields. It is important for developers 

to ensure that communities are informed in advance
through public consultations (a requirement in some
countries) to address issues before a project

gets underway.

80%
of projects in the Japan’s 47 prefectures encounter issues increasing the public opposition
to large solar installations
Some projects have even damaged the public’s perception of solar power generation. In one town, residents collected more
than 9,000 signatures to request the local district court to block a planned mountainside project. The local government
halted the project and found problems with the initial application as well as non-compliance with safety regulations. 

With construction halted following prep work, the site has been left barren, resulting in losses for the project developer.

Unpopular projects that are viewed as damaging to the environment can cause the public to develop negative views 

of renewables, further increasing the opposition. Check out our blog post “Why big renewable plants are not the enemy 

of the community” to learn the best arguments against these kind of accusations.
Risking environmental damage
It is essential for developers to avoid destroying
the local environment with a PV installation.
Project planning must take into account the type of soil
that a site contains and provide adequate water
drainage to prevent landslides.
Grading, or leveling land to create a planar surface for
solar panel installation can make the land susceptible 

to runoff.
Locations that experience heavy rainfall can become
vulnerable to landslides when trees are cleared, causing
soil erosion — particularly on mountainsides.
Channels created by water erosion can create large
gullies that threaten the stability of solar panel rack
foundations and fences, damage equipment such as
conductors and inverters, and damage access roads.

In South Korea, residents near solar PV plants on

mountain slopes have blamed them for heavy flooding
and landslides. However, according to the Forest
Service, just 1.1% of 1,079 landslides that caused
damage were linked to solar power plants 

in mountainous areas.

Solar plant owners have prevented panels from being

toppled or swept away during monsoon rains by creating
ditches to enable adequate drainage.
Failing to carry out geotechnical
terrain analysis

Developers need to understand the type of ground at a project site as it will dictate the most appropriate type of PV panel

mounting structure to use, such as helical piles, earth screws, ballasted foundations, or driven piles.

If during construction hard rock is found, structures will not be able to be installed in the same way as planned, requiring

different mounting equipment or techniques. In the case of decommissioned mines or quarries, there may be hidden or

collapsed tunnels that create unstable surfaces that are unsuitable for panel structures.

Discovering these issues after construction starts can cause huge delays and incur additional costs.
Not choosing adequate equipment
Another important consideration is selecting

the right type of equipment for a site’s

environmental conditions.

Storm lightning, heavy snowfall, strong wind, and high

temperatures can damage structures and modules. 

This increases maintenance and repair costs, reduces
the plant’s output efficiency, and results in equipment
shortages.

In central Europe, strong hail, heavy snow, and rapid

temperature changes can damage modules by breaking
the glass on PV modules from mechanical impact.
They can also cause cracks that result in

thermomechanical stresses that result in electricity

generation losses and equipment failures down the line.

In Switzerland, project developers and insurance

companies are increasingly insisting on more rigorous

hail testing as damage to solar PV systems from

hailstorms has increased in recent years.

The hail impact resistance tests by the Association of

Swiss Canton Fire Insurance Companies (VKF) are more

severe than the minimum International Electrotechnical

Commission (IEC) requirements.

Losing money and time

on layout planning
It can take long periods of time and increasing amounts of money to create the design of a PV plant,
including the layout, cables, etc, without good project development tools.

Stretching out or separating the distance between blocks can result in a loss of output capacity and
result in the use of unnecessary low-voltage cables. Calculating pitch distance to limit panel
shading while not losing optimization is one of the hardest design elements to calculate.

There is a risk in generating only one design and not evaluating different possibilities for equipment
or electrical configuration to find the optimal energy output or lowest levelized cost of

electricity (LCOE).

Failing to consider an adaptive design would also be a mistake, as adaptive designs allow
developers to analyze different shapes and DC/AC ratios that fit better with the site’s perimeter and
irregularities, resulting in a higher total installed capacity.
RatedPower can help
Equipment

you avoid common

PV module
Inverter
How to
How to

PV project mistakes Structure

Tracker Fixed
How to

East-West

Avoiding common mistakes in developing your utility-scale

PV project can help ensure that the project is completed on Modules per string 25
time and achieves optimal power output.

Rec value: 25

Rec range: 21-27

RatedPower’s software allows you to streamline Strings per structure 2

the site design process from several weeks to Min: 2 / Max: 6

Structure length 18.99 m

only a few hours, saving time and money.

Partial structures
The software empowers your team to generate and review Nº strings per
multiple designs simultaneously, select the best option, and 1
structure
use it as the basis for another batch of designs. Contact us
for a demonstration.
Mounting system
Tilt angle 3,4 %

Minimum ground 3,4 m

clearance
Pile length 3,4 m
Start accelerating your PV plant
design and engineering today
Our team of specialists is happy to answer your
questions and show you our utility-scale solar

software first-hand.

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