Melbourne Engineering Group
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Solar, BESS and power stations

Solar farm engineering, from array piles to power stations

Engineering for the whole solar farm: piles for tracker and fixed-tilt arrays, and the footings, skids, support beams and connections for inverters, transformers, power stations, substations and BESS units. MEG has delivered solar work on utility-scale farms in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.

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The whole solar farm, not just the piles

A solar farm is more than its array. Alongside thousands of tracker or fixed-tilt piles, it needs foundations and structures for power stations, inverters, transformers, substations and, increasingly, battery storage. MEG covers the whole package, so the array and the equipment are designed consistently, with one engineering contact.

What drives solar pile design

  • Uplift and lateral load from wind on the panels, usually governing over compression.
  • Variable ground: dividing the site into design zones based on the geotechnical data.
  • Pile load testing: testing programmes are common on solar farms and are used to confirm, or improve, the design.
  • Corrosion: soil aggressivity and design life set the steel section and any coating or sacrificial thickness.
  • Tracker tolerances: pile position, level and plumb have to fall within what the tracker system can accommodate.
  • Installation method: driven sections, screw piles, or pre-drilled and grouted piles where driving meets refusal.
Illustrative single-axis tracker pile: wind on the panel produces uplift and lateral load at the pile, resisted by embedment in the ground Wind Uplift Lateral load Embedment set by the design for each ground zone Ground conditions vary across the site
Illustrative only. Wind on the panels produces uplift and lateral load at each tracker pile. The embedment and section come from the design for each ground zone.

Power stations, substations and equipment

  • Power stations: footings, skids and support steel for inverter and power conversion stations.
  • Transformers: footings, plinths and anchorage.
  • Substations and switchyards: footings for equipment and structures.
  • BESS units on solar sites: footings, piles and connections.
  • Connections between the equipment, its support steel and the foundations.

We coordinate with the electrical design throughout. See also BESS foundation engineering.

What we design

  • Array pile design for tracker and fixed-tilt structures, by ground zone
  • Power station, inverter and transformer footings
  • Substation and switchyard footings
  • BESS foundations on solar sites
  • Skids, support beams, frames and connections
  • Pile schedules, installation criteria and load-test programmes
  • Refusal and non-conformance assessment during installation

What you receive

  • Pile design reportDesign basis, ground zones, pile sections and embedment, and installation criteria.
  • Pile schedulesPile types by location, ready for the piling contractor.
  • Test programme and resultsWhere engaged, a test plan and an interpretation of the results against the design.
  • Equipment foundation drawingsFootings for balance-of-plant equipment, with calculations.

Scope, fee and programme are confirmed in a written proposal for your project before any engineering starts.

What we need from you

  • Tracker or racking supplier loads, support arrangement and tolerances
  • Array and equipment layout
  • Geotechnical data: boreholes, CPTs, laboratory results and soil aggressivity
  • Existing pile test data, if available
  • Design life and project design criteria

Don't have everything yet? Send what you have. We'll tell you what's missing and whether it affects the proposal.

How it works

  1. Package reviewWe review the supplier loads, the layout and the geotechnical data.
  2. ProposalWe define the design zones, the deliverables, the testing and the programme.
  3. DesignWe prepare the pile and equipment foundation design.
  4. Testing and installation supportWe interpret test results, refine the design where the tests allow, and respond to refusals and non-conformances.

Who does what

MEG provides

  • Pile and footing design
  • Pile test planning and interpretation, where engaged
  • Installation-stage engineering support

Not included, or by others

  • Tracker or racking structural design (by the supplier)
  • Electrical design
  • Civil earthworks, roads and drainage design, unless specifically agreed
  • Geotechnical investigation and physical testing

Where a project needs another specialist, we can recommend one and coordinate with them. We make it clear who is responsible for each part.

Solar farms we've worked on

  • Georgetown Solar Farm, TAS
  • Fulham Solar Farm, VIC
  • Wangaratta Solar Farm, VIC
  • Hay Solar Farm, NSW
  • Moama Solar Farm, NSW
  • Salvation Army Solar Farm, VIC

Questions

Can you work on projects outside Victoria?

Yes. Atbin is registered in New South Wales and Tasmania as well as Victoria. For projects in other states, tell us where the project is and we'll confirm how we can be involved.

Can pile testing reduce pile lengths?

It can. Testing replaces conservative assumptions with measured behaviour. On a large site, a well-planned programme often pays for itself, but the outcome depends on what the tests show.

What happens when piles meet refusal?

We assess the installed depth against the design requirements. The options include accepting the pile, pre-drilling, or an alternative detail for affected areas.

Do you design the tracker structure?

No. The tracker or racking supplier designs their structure. We design the foundations using their loads and tolerances.

Ready to talk about your project?

An initial conversation about your project and a fee proposal cost nothing. Engineering advice, reviews, designs and reports are provided once you've accepted a proposal.

Or call 0414 057 319 · atbin@melbourneengineeringgroup.com.au

Discuss Your Solar Farm Package