Optimizing Solar Performance from the Ground Up
Choosing the right foundation is one of the most critical decisions in a utility-scale solar build. This choice can mean on-time COD and long-term peak performance by minimizing delays, overages, and long-term damage from issues like corrosion and frost jacking.
Choosing the right foundation begins with choosing a knowledgeable partner with hands-on experience.
Partnership – Behind the Scenes
Since this decision is so crucial, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer, a foundation partner should conduct comprehensive analyses to determine the right foundation type for each customer site. Here’s a peek at how a solar foundation should work with you.
Screws, Piles, or Ballasts?
When it comes to foundation choice, there’s a short answer and a long answer.
Typically, piles work well for sites that have favorable conditions and low refusal risks. They’re fast to install and cost-effective.
Sites with less favorable conditions, including deep frost depths and rock terrain, benefit from the stability and risk mitigation that comes from ground screws.
Ballasts are suitable for unique sites where ground penetration isn’t an option, such as landfills and brownfields.
That’s the short answer. But there’s more to the story.
Subsurface and Soil Analysis
Two land parcels can look very similar, but yours could carry completely different risks below the surface. What creates a solid foundation for one site can wreak havoc on another. To mitigate risk, a qualified partner can analyze a comprehensive soil assessment that includes a detailed geotechnical report, with analyses across seven key subsurface areas: boring logs, composition of soil, frost depth, adfreeze bond stress, corrosion, water table, and a foundation recommendation.
The next step is pull out testing, which assesses a foundation’s anchorage or pull out capacity. We conduct two tests per location to determine both tensile and lateral force.
All of this data is part of a longer answer – a more accurate, thorough, and site-specific recommendation.
The Value of Experience
Even at this point, data alone isn’t the final answer. At Terrasmart, we have full-spectrum solar experience on all land types, including the most challenging terrains and toughest subsurfaces. We can spot nuances and subtleties that only come from the wisdom of experience, so we can elaborate on the data story, fill in the gaps, and give you a deeper view of what’s going on with your site.
For example, even if your soil assessment indicates a clear foundation choice, we’ll still apply our experience to consider parcel conditions and complete a full ROI analysis so you know the project financials line up.
Installation
Working backwards, your partner should look at installation – and how that impacts foundation choices – long before installation actually starts. Pile foundations can be installed quickly and with lower upfront costs, but if there are any surprises during installation, your time and cost savings can go right out the window. Before deciding between piles and ground screws, it’s important to understand the degree of refusal risk, adfreeze, and lateral support.
Since sites with ideal conditions are increasingly rare, ground screw foundations are becoming more common. They provide security and stability on the toughest terrains and in the trickiest conditions. Like piles, expert installation is key. Our experienced team knows the benefits of straight vs angle installation, the value of predrilling and when to use it, and the importance of torque value. As an industry leader in ground screw foundations, we’re experienced in keeping solar arrays securely powered amidst deep freezes, rocky terrain, and undulating sites.
In-House Advantages
When choosing between piles, screws, and ballasts, you benefit from in-house advantages when partnering with Terrasmart. As one of the first providers of ground screw foundations, we’ve developed proprietary equipment and processes that speed up installation and enhance overall stability. We have our own fleet of installation machines for both screws and piles, which has allowed us to adapt and improve in real time, resulting in highly efficient methods that save you time and budget.
Another significant advantage you now benefit from: Terrasmart is proud to have in-house ground screw manufacturing. Our Ohio manufacturing facility streamlines production, supports our partners with domestic content requirements, and strengthens supply chain resiliency. You get true end-to-end value, from domestic manufacturing to thorough site analysis to expert installation.
Pick the Perfect Partner for Peak Performance
With deep experience across all soil types and subsurface conditions, and industry-leading expertise across piles, screws, and ballasts, we’re not just partners in building sites, we’re partners in optimizing peak performance.
Learn more by downloading the Peak Performance Begins Beneath the Surface eBook.
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