Problem

Due to a change in the planning and to avoid delays, the EPC commenced the trenching before the piling. After performing a drone flight, analyzing the data on the Platform, and overlaying the PV modules’ design with the balance, Alinea Solar’s team discovered the EPC had deviated from the design:

• Two piles would almost end up in a trench
• Another pile would be put in a trench

This deviation would have caused significant issues when the piling started. The piles would have cut at least three inverter cables at that location. The inverters each produce an output of 200kWp at a value of 0,05€/KWh. In this case, the owner signed a contract stating they would be paid 2.5x the value of 0,05€/kWh during the first months. A quick calculation shows a loss of 375€/day. 

600 kWP x 0,05€/kWh x 2,5 = 375€/day

Doing the correct repairs would easily have taken ten days since patching the cables would not have sufficed. Instead, they would have had to replace the damaged cabling and open & close the trenches to perform the electrical works. This would easily cost 7500€ on top of the daily lost output. 

Another quick calculation would show a total cost of 11.250€.

Solution

Simple measurements with the drone scan and CAD overlays allowed Alinea Solar to quickly validate if machines could still pass if they moved the tables and whether they would hit the trench dug at the other side of the site.

Results

Within two days, the team found a solution and contacted the contractor to change the drawing to avoid the piles being placed on the trenches without delaying the project.

If not spotted in time, the impact would have been severe and taken a lot more time to solve:

• During commissioning the panels would not generate output
• It would have taken at least 10 days to do the needed repairs, resulting in a cost of €11.250€.