As the world goes green, solar farms are becoming more important. Proper planning and execution of solar farms is key to efficiency, safety and long term sustainability. One of the key parts of solar farm development is a ground investigation survey. These surveys are critical to determine the suitability of the land and ensure the site can is feasible the solar panels and its associated steel structure components. IBEX Consulting Engineers understand the importance of undertaking detailed ground investigations at the early stages to avoid costly delays and smooth solar installations.
Introduction to Ground Investigations for Solar Farms
Intrusive ground investigations or surveys are a crucial aspect of any development project, including solar farms. These intrusive investigations involve a comprehensive assessment of the ground and groundwater conditions and sub-surface structures of a site. By gathering factual data on the underlying geology and groundwater levels, engineers can determine the feasibility and safety of a proposed solar farm from a geotechnical perspective. Ground investigations are essential for identifying potential geotechnical hazards or risks associated with the site, such as disturbed/loose/soft soils, solution features, mining audits or buried voids or the like and for developing engineering solutions to mitigate these risks. This ensures that the solar farm can be constructed safely and cost effectively, providing a sound foundation design for the installation of solar panels and its associated steel structure components.
Why Ground Investigation Surveys are Important for Solar Farms
Constructing a solar farm is more than just inserting steel piles into the ground. An accurate understanding of the ground conditions is required to ensure the land can take large scale photovoltaic power stations. Conducting detailed ground investigation techniques allows engineers to assess the soil strength, to determine the thermal resistivity properties of the underlying soils to aid power cable insulation design as well as in order to identify the potential geotechnical hazards or risks associated with the site, such as disturbed/loose/soft soils, solution features, mining audits or buried voids or the like.
Moreover the data collected during these surveys will give insights to the selected solar site suitability for utility scale solar projects, to ensure the infrastructure can withstand environmental factors like solar radiation and extreme weather conditions. A solar farm especially one that will contribute to the grid, relies heavily on these surveys, hence they are a crucial part of the development solar farms’ projects.
Ground Investigation Techniques for Solar Farms
Ground investigation techniques for solar farms can vary depending on the site. Typically these investigations include both non-intrusive desk studies and intrusive surveys. The non-intrusive desk studies involve researching the land’s history, previous land use, the site specific flood risk, radon and ground risks, coal mining/non coal mining risk, pollution incidents (if any) at the site/within the surrounding area of the site and other potential environmental risks. The intrusive surveys involves obtaining disturbed and undisturbed soils/bedrock samples to analyse its composition, strengths and gauge the detection limits of determinands such as heavy metals, hydrocarbons, asbestos and other chemicals to confirm that the site is not polluted and does not pose any risk to the surroundings. Solar energy plays a crucial role in these projects, transforming urban electricity access and sustainability.
IBEX Consulting Engineers also emphasizes the use of latest technology like Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) to identify any hidden risks beneath the surface. This will help avoid damage to underground infrastructure like water mains, power lines and sewage systems which are critical to the construction and operation of the solar farm.
Site Assessment and Planning for Solar Farms
Site assessment and planning are critical components of ground investigations for solar farms. This process involves evaluating the site’s topography, underlying geology, groundwater and environmental conditions to determine the best approach for the investigation. A detailed understanding of the site’s conditions is necessary to ensure that the investigation is conducted safely and efficiently. During this phase, potential hazards and risks associated with the site are identified and a remediation plan is developed to mitigate these risks (if any). This includes assessing factors such as soil composition, groundwater levels, and the presence of any potential geotechnical hazards or risks associated with the site, such as disturbed/loose/soft soils, solution features, mining audits or buried voids or the like. Once the survey is complete, then our experienced engineers and technical directors can make advise you within our robust report in relation to what to do next for the proposed solar farms.
Geotechnical Services for Solar Farms
As previously noted, geotechnical services are essential for the successful development of solar farms as well as its participation to the national electricity grid. These services provide critical information on the ground conditions and sub-surface elements of the site, which is used to design and construct the solar farm’s foundation and associated ancillary structures such as inverter cabins and maintenance units . Ground investigations, site-specific assessment, road design, slope stability assessments, pavement design, excavation stability assessment, buried concrete aggressivity assessment, soils’ corrosion assessment and foundation design are all part of the geotechnical services offered for solar farms. By conducting thorough ground investigations, our experienced engineers and technical directors can ensure that the foundation is safe and stable, capable of supporting the weight and structure of the solar panels and other infrastructure. These services are crucial for ensuring the long-term viability and efficiency of the solar farm, allowing it to generate renewable energy reliably for years to come.
Ground Investigation Surveys and Solar Farm Development
Solar farms’ or solar parks’ development requires a site specific approach to ground investigation. No two sites are the same and ground conditions can vary greatly especially when dealing with large areas for utility scale solar farms or solar parks. This variability can impact the construction process, budget of the scheme, installation of solar panels and ultimately the overall power output of the solar farm, which is then delivered to the electricity grid.
By doing ground investigation surveys, our very experienced engineers can report you a detailed understanding of the ground and groundwater conditions, underlying soils’ composition and its suitability for the installation of steel structures. These surveys are critical to ensure solar cells and other components can be installed safely and will function efficiently throughout the life of the photovoltaic power stations. The intrusive ground investigation surveys will aid developers to meet regulatory requirements and ensure the project is compliant with the environmental and construction standards.
Environmental Data in Ground Investigation Surveys
One of the benefits of ground investigation surveys is the collection and review of site-specific historical maps, historical flood maps, flood risk maps, historical landfill sites, environmental setting, radon risk and other sensitive surroundings that may be impacted on the development. Undertake an non-intrusive desk study will help in assessing the environmental impact of the project especially in areas where designated and sensitive areas or wind farms are nearby. The assessment of potential risks like shrink swell risks, landslides risks, ground dissolution risks, compressible/collapsible soils risk, running sand risks, coal/non coal mining risks, pollution incidents and other sensitive risks are critical in making informed decision for the development of the solar farm.
Environmental data or an non-intrusive desk study will also help in assessing the long term performance or longevity of the solar park. Factors like solar farms radiation, local weather patterns and soil quality will affect the performance of the solar farm. With this information, our experienced engineers and technical directors can make strategic decisions on where and how to install the solar panels to maximize the farm’s power output as well as to reduce the installation costs.
Regulatory Compliance
Regulatory compliance is a critical aspect of ground investigations and solar farm development. Ground investigations must be conducted in accordance with relevant regulations and standards, such as the CDM Regulations 2015 and the British Standards Institution (BSI) standards. Solar farms must also comply with regulations related to environmental impact and electrical safety. Ensuring regulatory compliance is essential for avoiding costly delays and penalties, and for ensuring the long-term viability of the solar farm. By adhering to these regulations, developers can ensure that their projects meet all necessary legal and safety requirements, contributing to the successful and sustainable development of renewable energy sources.
Ground Investigation for Utility Scale Solar Projects
Utility scale solar projects require in-depth ground investigation due to their size and complexity. These projects involve installation of hundreds of thousands of solar panels across large areas of farm lands. The data obtained from these surveys will ensure that the land is suitable and feasible for the construction of solar farms without compromising on safety and performance.
IBEX Consulting Engineers recommends to undertake these non-intrusive desk studies and intrusive ground investigations prior to the commencement of the construction of these solar farms to avoid costly delays. By doing so, developers can ensure the site is ready for installation of key components of the solar farms such as inverter cabins, power cables, solar cells, solar panels and other infrastructure that will feed to the grid. Besides identifying the location of key elements like power lines, these surveys will also determine where to place them so the solar farm will operate efficiently once completed.
Conclusion: Ground Investigation
In summary, ground investigation surveys are a must for solar farm development. These surveys will give you the information you need to plan and mitigate risks, meet project requirements and ensure long term success of the solar farm. Work with IBEX Consulting Engineers to get the accurate and reliable data to build your utility scale solar projects that meet all the regulatory requirements and grow renewable energy.
From small solar parks to large photovoltaic power plants or mega solar farms, ground investigation is key to maximize power output, safety and environmental compliance. With advanced ground investigation methods, solar farm developers can build sustainable and efficient energy for the community and the environment.
