As utility-scale solar projects expand into challenging terrains, PV Hardware (PVH) addresses these complexities with its Terrain Response system. This technology allows solar installations to adapt to natural land contours, minimizing environmental disruption  

Minimizing Earthworks and Decreasing Environmental Impact 

Traditional solar installations often require extensive grading, leading to habitat disruption and increased emissions. PVH’s Terrain Response system provides 1 degree angle tolerance at most piles to give higher flexibility in installation and can adapt to steeper gradients. This adaptability can reduce earthmoving operations by up to 90%, particularly beneficial in rocky or uneven landscapes. 

In a recent project in Spain, PVH successfully implemented this system to mitigate the impact of high earthworks for solar tracker installation, optimizing plant performance without extensive land alteration. pvhardware.com 

Preserving Soil Integrity 

Topsoil preservation is crucial for ecosystem as well as Farming on the land after the Solar project lifetime is completed and can be reused with its topsoil being fertile, it’s a great way to be sustainable with each solar project as they need huge space for the land. Terrain Response’s Tracker design allows individual posts to accommodate slope variations up to 1 degree, reducing the need for grading. This approach minimizes soil modification and promotes natural re-vegetation post-construction. Additionally, by minimizing the topsoil movement we are mitigating foundation scouring issues during flood events. 

Optimizing Pile Lengths & Installation 

By conforming to the land’s natural contours, Terrain Response enables the use of shorter foundation piles for our Tracker—up to 0.7 meter less—depending on terrain characteristics. This reduction leads to decreased ramming depths, faster installations of posts, reduced excavation, lower concrete consumption, and tangible savings in materials and overall project costs. 

Integration with Advanced Tracking Technology 

Terrain Response is engineered to work seamlessly with PVH’s AxoneDuo Infinity tracker system. This integration ensures superior energy generation and structural integrity. Key features include intelligent stow capabilities that automatically safeguard solar panels during extreme weather events, self-powered motors utilizing solar energy, and reliable LoRaWAN communication for site-wide connectivity. 

Cost & Time Savings through Terrain Response 

Terrain Response is innovated to be a major cost savings for solar projects with difficult terrains. Terrain Response is a service where piles are embedded at specific depths based on following terrain specific to the site and this automates the ramming process and does it way faster than traditional ramming process for each pile without the need for complex laser system or alignment on top of piles. This can expedite the total process with more than 40% installation time and costs.  

Use Case Scenario:

In Saudi Arabia, One of PVH’s clients, faced the challenge of undulated terrain and loose soil on a massive Solar Project. By adapting its technology of Terrain Response PVH mitigated these issues of Earthworks and ramming, optimizing plant installation without extensive land alteration. Saving the cost as well as being sustainable toward the environment and the future use of the land after the project conclusion. 

Conclusion 

PVH’s Terrain Response system represents a significant advancement in solar infrastructure development. By reducing earthworks, preserving soil integrity, and optimizing resource utilization, saving tons of cost and installation time. It enables sustainable solar deployment on complex terrains. The integration with advanced tracking technologies like AxoneDuo Infinity ensures that environmental responsibility and high-level technical performance go hand in hand. To know more directly from our Technical Director–Chowdary Charan, India PVH. check out this link.