How can you determine the most effective location for a solar farm?

Understanding Diffuse Radiation (DHI) and albedo at solar installation sites is crucial beyond GHI. Bifacial photovoltaic modules require accurate reflection parameters for production optimization. Using satellite data for these values can be inaccurate. After site selection based on solar radiation and albedo, precise measurements with pyranometers, albedometers, and meteorological equipment are essential. Processing according to BSRN standards is necessary before utilizing the data, emphasizing the importance of accurate climatic and solar radiation specifics at the chosen location.

Large land areas close to large transmission power lines. Reduce the legislative process to speed up projects and reduce costs due to satisfying redundant regulations. Most notably to have solar farms on superfund sites. There are over 1,800 sites! I recall the Gowanus Canal in Queens NY is huge and has been stalled for years to get approved.

Land vs distance for the energy to be transmitted. Solar farms that are not high enough to drive tractors under should not be allowed if the land has been previously grazed or grown crops. We need food as the population grows. It has the same footprint as low ones, and the cost today is irrelevant because all renewable energy systems are more expensive to begin with.

Depends on site location such as non-industrial area or dust-free area, makes the site more resourceful. In case of any dust deposition due to nearby location, the performance of solar plant will definitely gets affected. Also we can verify through PVsyst software for Simulation result through past Solar data.

All solar farms interfere with wildlife habitats and agricultural activities. To reduce the change in air currents etc heat rising etc, and if they must be set up in a farming area strip farm them between the crops or over the crops.

The selection of potential sites for the implementation of a photovoltaic solar power plant can, initially, rely on georeferenced data. Additionally to the land information, layers such as radiation mapping, presence of transmission lines, local socio-economic conditions, as well as the existence of legal and fiscal incentive policies, can be added to these datasets. The intersection of data of this nature allows for the delineation of favorable regions, reducing the search space for investors.

For sustainable development, we need to execute the solar projects in Non-agricultural zones only or we can utilize the agricultural land parcels for Agro-Photovoltaics projects.

A good location for a solar farm is near powerlines and substations, which can lower the expenses of grid connection and power delivery. This also helps avoid any congestion in the power network that could limit the solar output.

Availability of Substation (DISCOM) with easy transmission line access is very important phase for each solar project towards power evacuation. Though land parcels are plenty, the load availability in the substation may be non-feasible for planned solar plant. i.e. If we plan for 50MW Solar plant, laod availability in the nearby substation may be 30MW. Hence our project capacity needs to be revised for 30MW only.

If the Solar plant is to be located in desert zones, the maximum temp. needs to considered for design which reflects in our material selection and procurement. i.e. 45-50 deg C will be temperature range in the planned solar project land weather condition, need to design all the equipment based on this temperature range only to avoid temperature based losses.

True: The favorable regulations and incentives for a solar farm are clear, stable, and supportive, with low barriers, high incentives, and long-term guarantees. Governments do not perform their true due diligence in the overall effect that these farms have long term, they are feel-good quick fixes for political votes otherwise the criteria would be more stringent. They are good payments to some landowners but not for agriculture in the long term. A solar farm must be high enough to drive tractors under or not be allowed if the land has been previously grazed or grown crops in the last decade. The footprint is the same as a low one, and the cost today is irrelevant because all renewable energy systems are more expensive to begin with.

"The sixth criterion for choosing a location for a solar farm is the economic and social benefits". Few long-term benefits. First, it should be what the land has been used for in the last decade, such as growing crops and grazing sheep, or cattle. So that is the criteria, it must be designed to be used for the same and the farm should be built around that, it can be done. Economic and social benefits: short-term in construction some workers help the local area, after that, there may be some staff employed locally, but in many sites, the workers just come in as required. Some solar farms and energy providers donate back to local clubs etc but if it was built to increase the yield of the agriculture farm as well, then that is a real benefit.

Most solar farms are not seriously looking at hosting vehicle and truck EV charging. By 2035 let us assume more than half of the estimated 300million trucks and 1 billion cars will be battery electric. Sending electrons through a inverter, substation, transmission line, substation, distribution network involves sharing a major part of the retail EV truck/car charging pie with multiple middlemen. Is so much more profitable to sell charging direct to EV truck/car owners If a utility solar farm sells even 15% of the output direct to retail EV charging for $400/MWH (40¢/kWh) it can achieve the revenue levels by selling 100% of output at $60/MWH. It seems great strategy to look for potential EV charging opportunities next to busy highway

Another thing to consider is that solar panels can upgrade the land they are placed over by providing shade. I saw the advantages when I observed sheep in a hot, dry, semi-arid climate gathering under panels to get away from the direct sun. Familiar with the area, I noticed that the normally arid, desert like soil had become more green under the panels. By simply installing the panels high enough to access the land underneath the area was doubly productive. So, beyond the electricity produced, the solar panels also create opportunities for growing crops, providing space for grazing animals, both domesticated and wild. If they are placed too close to the ground it robs their secondary functionality. It is just something else to consider.