40MW Pole-Mounted Solar Installation Contract

Project Scope of Work Included:

• Tracking and Organization of 26 Pieces of Data for Each of the 180,000 Panels Installed, Including:
• Serial Numbers
• Pictures of Each Installation
• GPS Coordinates
• Other Information

Challenges and Results

Work on the project required more than just construction. We developed an accountability process for each of the 180,000 installations, collaborating with technology experts to create new software for data, cost, and deliverable tracking. We used the system to provide real-time status and performance updates to the client as the project progressed. Installations often required liaising with utility pole owners to secure permissions and/or arrange co-ownership of poles. Not every pole was ideal for panel installations, and our host utility had originally hired an engineering firm to make determinations on which poles were acceptable. However, these investigations would have slowed down the project’s timeline for delivery significantly. Instead, we absorbed the engineering firm’s work into our own agenda, completing the pole investigations and assessments as part of our execution, saving the client substantial time and money.

By handling assessment work and evaluating 900,000 potential installation sites internally, our team identified the 180,000 suitable locations for the solar panel installations, eliminating the need for a subcontractor. Providing a turnkey solution allowed our client to reduce project costs and keep their construction schedule on track. We installed the new network successfully, delivering increased clean energy to residents throughout the host utility’s service area. Our work helped the State of New Jersey become the leading installer of new photovoltaic capacity for the first time in 2012.