Project phases for large solar installations — Planning stages of Germany 5th largest PV power plant

The construction of large PV power plants requires considerable upfront effort in planning, designing and coordination between the customer and the mounting system provider. This also applies to Germany´s 5th largest installation, FinowTower Eberswalde with 24.24 MW. First the very basics of PV projects in theory will be described. PV installations are unique like every other building construction. It is necessary to take into account the conditions on the project site, the wind and snow loads, soil classifications and, of course, the end customer needs. From there, the individual action steps of the project work will be explained. The important elements for a successful construction are illustrated in detail: 1) Pre-processing: the input data for the desired configuration (module type, loading) and the preliminary calculations are done 2) Project planning: includes the more detailed mounting system planning (set up of manufacturing drawings, structural analysis, cost accounting) 3) Project realization: which contains delivery plans, installation, wiring 4) Post processing: the customer content, installer feedback, cost controlling and lessons learned are discussed. The second more practical part of the presentation involves the explanation of the mentioned theoretical points using the example of Germany´s 5^th largest installation. Here, the clarification of the different elements is supported by pictures, drawings and sketches. From a project management point of view, the result of following these steps is continuous improvement throughout the process.