Engineering, Procurement & Construction Best Practice Guidelines (Version 2.0)

Welcome to the second edition of SolarPower Europe’s Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Best Practice Guidelines. The EU has set a target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels, by 2030. In its 100% Renewable Europe study, SolarPower Europe estimates that, to achieve this, an extra 870 GW of solar PV installations are required by the same year. To maintain public trust and investor confidence in PV technology, installations must be built according to high-quality standards that will ensure they run effectively and reliably over their lifecycle. Putting the best processes in place and getting the fundamentals right during the project design, engineering, procurement, and construction phases is key to driving down costs and improving reliability.

The Lifecycle Quality Workstream grew out of SolarPower Europe’s O&M Task Force in 2020. It reflects the fact that quality assurance is an ongoing process throughout the lifecycle of an asset. In addition to the O&M Best Practice Guidelines, the Workstream now produces the Asset Management, EPC Best Practice Guidelines. This year, a new Lifecycle Quality Best Practice Guidelines has been added to the suite as a way to underpin the other three.

Building on 2020’s first edition, this document is the result of year of intensive work by over 25 leading solar experts, from 20 companies. The contributors work across the solar PV industry and they include EPC and O&M service providers, Asset Managers, Asset Owners, renewable energy consultants, legal experts, digital solutions providers, technical advisors, and investors.

The latest version of the EPC Best Practice Guidelines take a new approach to occupational health & safety by combining these with security, environmental and biodiversity protection in a revamped Health, Safety, Security, and Environment chapter. Furthermore, given the growth in popularity of increasingly flexible solutions to demand-side supply, the contributors have created an entirely new chapter on EPC for PV power plants with storage. This year’s edition has also seen the Definitions and Lifecycle of EPC Quality Management chapters move to the Lifecycle Quality Guidelines, reflecting the overall importance of common references and quality assurance practices to all stakeholders, at all stages of an asset’s lifecycle. These are just some of the updates that can be found in this year’s edition.

The Workstream has been busy in 2021, updating the EPC and O&M Best Practice Guidelines and writing the new Lifecycle Quality Guidelines. Members have also been involved in spreading the Best Practice Guidelines internationally and the South African edition of the O&M Best Practice Guidelines was published in October. Projects to create the Indian and Sub-Saharan African editions of the EPC Best Practice Guidelines, and a Jordanian edition of the O&M Best Practice Guidelines are also underway.

We thank our members for their extraordinary level of engagement, which reflects the importance of lifecycle quality for the solar industry. We will continue the work in 2022 and invite interested stakeholders to join our community to be part of this undertaking.

Members of the Lifecycle Quality workstream

SolarPower Europe would like to thank the members of its Lifecycle Quality Workstream for their support to this report

Legal information

Chair of the SolarPower Europe Lifecycle Quality Workstream: Adele Ara, Lightsource bp

Vice-Chairs of the SolarPower Lifecycle Quality Workstream: Ralph Gottschalg, Fraunhofer CSP; Alden Lee, ABO Wind

Coordinator of the SolarPower Europe Lifecycle Quality Workstream: Benjamin Clarke, SolarPower Europe

Contact: info@solarpowereurope.org

Contributors and co-authors: Adele Ara Lightsource bp; Alden Lee, ABO Wind; Ali Rahmati, Fronius; Andrea Viaro, Stäubli Electrical Connectors; Bengt Jäckel, Fraunhofer CSP; Benjamin Clarke, SolarPower Europe; Christophe Campistron, Everoze; David Moser, Eurac Research; Elaine Teo, Heliospekt; Federica Rappoli, Lightsource bp; Gloria Bernardini, Bird & Bird; Grant Hilti, Heliospekt; Harry Finnigan, Statkraft; Ioannis Tsanakas, CEA-INES; Jan Gershoj Jensen, Gershoj Energia; Jörg Althaus, TÜV Rheinland Solar GmbH; Julia Badeda, ABO Wind; Mariyana Yaneva, Renergy; Martin Lütgens, ABO Wind; Martina Pianta, 3E; Mike Carter, Everoze; Nicholas Mutch, Lightsource bp; Paolo di Ciaccio, Eni; Patricio Sanchez, PI Berlin; Ralph Gottschalg, Fraunhofer CSP; Rob Andrews, Heliolytics; Stefan Mau, Everoze; Thomas Sauer, EXXERGY; Vincenzo Giorgio, Bird & Bird; Will Hitchcock, Above Surveying; Wolfgang Rosenberg, TCO Solar.

Acknowledgements: SolarPower Europe would like to extend a special thanks to all members that contributed their knowledge and experience to this report. This would never have been possible without their continuous support.

Project Information: The SolarPower Europe O&M Task Force officially started its work in April 2015, and it became the Lifecycle Quality Workstream in 2020, to cover O&M, Asset Management and EPC. It operates through frequent exchanges and meetings. The Workstream’s flagship reports are the O&M Best Practice Guidelines, the Asset Management Best Practice Guidelines, the EPC Best Practice Guidelines, and the new Lifecycle Quality Guidelines. They reflect the experience and views of a considerable share of the European solar industry today. There has been no external funding or sponsorship for these reports.

Disclaimer: This report has been prepared by SolarPower Europe. It is provided to recipients for general information only. Nothing in it should be interpreted as an offer or recommendation of any products, services or financial products. This report does not constitute technical, investment, legal, tax or any other advice. Recipients should consult with their own technical, financial, legal, tax or other advisors as needed. This report is based on sources believed to be accurate. However, SolarPower Europe does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in this report. SolarPower Europe assumes no obligation to update any information contained herein. SolarPower Europe will not be held liable for any direct or indirect damage incurred by the use of the information provided and will not provide any indemnities.

Design: Onehemisphere, Sweden. Email: contact@onehemisphere.se.

ISBN: 9789464444209.

Published: December 2021.