SiTE™ Optimization Identifies >$10 Million in Civil-Structural Savings

Problem

A Top 5 Developer contacted us between the 30% and 60% design phases—after the EPC/EOR contracts were in place—with questions about the grading volumes being proposed by a Top 5 EPC for their California solar project. Although the contract had been locked in, the Developer was concerned about the AHJ’s reaction to almost 2 million cubic yards of potential grading for the project and called us in to run a SiTE™-Optimized grading & steel analysis to identify the potential for reducing grading volumes.

Solution

KiloNewton performed a preliminary grading analysis implying a potential reduction in PV array grading volumes of more than 80% vs the EPC’s 30% design. The EPC was thought our design would lead to higher steel costs and result in production losses, so we created an analysis at various grading, steel, and electricity prices to confirm that those costs were overwhelmed by the potential grading savings. At the more detailed 60% design stage our grading volumes increased by 170,000 y3 and at the IFC stage the EPC was ultimately able to reduce volumes to < 1million y3, capturing a significant amount of the reduction KiloNewton identified.

“The potential for a reduction in civil-structural costs identified by KiloNewton was substantial and the design optimization and analysis invaluable. Based on this work we always call them when we see problems.”

Top 5 Developer

VP of Construction