Image above: “Engineers planning a PV project” © Pratchaya.Lee, 2024

Effective project management for photovoltaic systems

How complex PV projects succeed

Professional project management is an essential component of the success of photovoltaic projects and is becoming increasingly important because, according to Solarserver.de, „every second commercial photovoltaic project fails“. There are many reasons for this, ranging from bureaucratic approval hurdles and financing problems to supply chain problems such as delivery bottlenecks or material delays due to late delivery of solar modules and other components.

However, all these potential causes can be avoided in advance: through careful planning, effective project management with clear responsibilities and sufficient expertise. Read this blog article to find out exactly how we ensure a smooth project process with successful project completion for photovoltaic projects.

Source: Solarserver.com (only available in German)

Importance of project management in photovoltaics

Numerous factors must be taken into account

Image above: Complexity of PV projects. © Luana AG, 2024

Photovoltaic systems are complex systems whose successful implementation requires precise coordination of various specialist areas. From the first planning step to the final commissioning, numerous factors must be taken into account, such as the lightning protection concept, the fire protection concept, planned or existing grid connections, power distribution or statics. Effective project management ensures that all factors are optimally coordinated to guarantee the success of the project.

Complexity of photovoltaic projects

What makes photovoltaic projects so complex?

Complex project management for photovoltaic systems. Make things happen!

Image above: Mastering complex processes. © Blan-k, 2024

Technical complexity

Planning & design: The design of an efficient PV system requires a precise site analysis, including solar radiation, shadow analysis and the best inclination and alignment of the panels. Planning with Google Earth is not enough. Read more about this in our article “Why Google Earth is not enough for photovoltaic planning”.
Integration with existing systems: The integration of PV systems into existing power grids or building infrastructures can be technically challenging, especially with regard to inverters and energy storage systems such as large-scale battery storage.

Regulatory requirements

Approval procedures: The construction of PV systems often requires extensive approval procedures at local, regional and national level.
Funding programs & subsidies: There are numerous subsidy programs that can be used, but their requirements and procedures are often complex and bureaucratic.

Costs & financing

Costs & financing: Financing PV projects can be difficult as they often require high initial investments. Profitability depends on many factors, including feed-in tariffs, electricity prices and maintenance costs.
Risks: Financial risks such as price volatility for solar modules and inverters, as well as unforeseen maintenance costs can further complicate projects.

Environmental & social factors

Environmental impact: Environmental impact assessments are necessary to evaluate the impact on local flora and fauna.
Social acceptance: Acceptance by the population and cooperation with local communities can be decisive for the success of a project.

Operational management & maintenance

Monitoring & maintenance: Regular remote monitoring and maintenance of the systems is crucial for their performance and longevity.
Technological advancements: Constant technological advances require continuous adjustments and updates to systems.

Contract management

Various stakeholders: Coordination between different stakeholders such as project developers, investors, construction companies, grid operators and suppliers is often complex.
Contract structures: Long-term contracts such as power purchase agreements (PPAs) or leasing agreements must be carefully drafted and managed.

Photovoltaic projects are complex for various reasons. The above factors show only a fraction of the overall complexity and illustrate that photovoltaic projects must be carefully planned, financed, implemented and operated in order to be successful.

Full service process

All from a single source

The complexity of photovoltaic projects increases the more responsibility a service provider takes on. Luana AG works with a full-service approach. This means that we not only plan your energy solution, but also build it ourselves, finance it if required, take over operational management if desired, take care of maintenance and servicing, take over monitoring, etc. We always tailor our energy solution to your needs and you only book the components that are important to you—and the success of your photovoltaic project.

conception & palnning, realization, financing & investment, operational management, maintenance, monitoring, billing

Image above: Full-service process of Luana AG. © Luana AG, 2024

A full service provider is responsible for the entire life cycle of the project, from planning and construction to operation and maintenance. This requires comprehensive coordination and a deep understanding of all phases of the project. Seamless integration of the different phases of the project requires a high level of attention to detail and coordination. Each phase affects the next, so errors or delays in one phase can have an impact on the overall project schedule. How exactly we work to ensure the seamless integration of each project phase is achieved is explained in the next section.

Project management according to PRINCE2®

Structured processes for successful photovoltaic projects

Images above: Certified according to PRINCE2® (left). Luana Academy (right). © Luana AG, 2024

All our project managers are PRINCE2® certified. PRINCE2® (short for: PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a widely used and recognized project management method that is particularly suitable for managing complex projects (such as photovoltaic projects). Here are some reasons why we work according to the PRINCE2® methodology:

Structured methodology & defined responsibilities

Phased approach: PRINCE2® divides projects into clearly defined phases, allowing detailed planning and control at each stage. This is particularly useful for photovoltaic projects that go through several complex phases, from planning and financing to construction, operation and maintenance.

Defined roles & responsibilities: PRINCE2® establishes clear roles and responsibilities for all project stakeholders, which improves collaboration and communication and ensures that all tasks are carried out efficiently.

Flexibility & scalability

Adaptability: PRINCE2® is flexible and can be adapted to the specific needs and requirements of each project. This is particularly important for photovoltaic projects, which can vary depending on location, technology and financing structure.

Scalability: The method is scalable and can be applied to both small and large projects, making it ideal for a variety of photovoltaic projects.

Focus on business case

Focus on profitability: PRINCE2® attaches great importance to the continuous review of the business case throughout the entire project. This ensures that the project remains economically viable and that investments are put to good use.

Ongoing justification: The method requires that the project is continually justified, which ensures that there is always a clear benefit and alignment with strategic objectives.

Proactive risk management & controlled environment

Proactive risk management: PRINCE2® emphasizes the importance of systematic risk management. This helps to identify and manage potential problems at an early stage, which is particularly important for the complex and often high-risk photovoltaic projects.

Controlled environment: By creating a controlled environment for project management, risks can be monitored and managed more effectively.

Quality management

Quality controls: PRINCE2® integrates strict quality controls and checks at every stage of the project. This ensures that the high standards required for photovoltaic projects are met.

Customer satisfaction: Continuous quality assurance and review of project outputs ensures that our customers‘ expectations are met or exceeded.

Documentation & evidence-based decisions

Detailed documentation: PRINCE2® places great emphasis on comprehensive documentation and reporting, which increases transparency and enables better tracking of project progress.

Evidence-based decisions: By providing detailed information and reports, PRINCE2® enables informed decisions based on concrete data.

Continuous improvement

Lessons learned: PRINCE2® promotes continuous improvement through the documentation and analysis of lessons learned. This makes it possible to learn from past projects and to make future photovoltaic projects more efficient and effective.

Feedback loops: Regular reviews and feedback loops ensure that improvements are integrated throughout the project.

Compliance & standardization

Regulatory compliance: PRINCE2® helps to ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements are met, which is crucial for photovoltaic projects.

Standardization: The method promotes the standardization of processes, which increases consistency and efficiency in project execution.

Overall, PRINCE2® offers a robust, flexible and comprehensive methodology that is ideally suited to the complex requirements of photovoltaic projects. It supports effective planning, monitoring and control and ensures that projects are completed on budget and on time while maintaining high quality standards

Our last training course took place in April 2023 (as of June 2024) and was held over three days of 8 hours each (excluding exam time) at our premises in Hamburg as part of the so-called “Luana Academy format” by our partner PeopleCert. Five additional project managers were trained during this training and subsequently received their PRINCE2® certification after successfully passing the exam.

Project management with monday.com

Gantt chart planning, automation & teamwork at the highest level

screenshot project management tool monday.com

Image above: Project management with monday.com. © Luana AG, 2024

In our project management for photovoltaic projects, we rely on one of the most successful project management tools on the market: monday.com.

We use Gantt charts and timelines because these features allow us to visually plan and monitor the entire project lifecycle, from the design phase to installation and commissioning. We use Kanban boards because using Kanban boards helps us to track the progress of individual tasks and work steps, which is especially useful when managing multiple projects simultaneously. Monday.com allows us to create customized dashboards that are specifically tailored to the needs of photovoltaic projects. This includes tracking milestones, delivery dates, material availability and project costs, among other things. We also appreciate the centralized communication, as all project participants can communicate in one central location, which improves coordination between different teams. Real-time updates and analytics help us to make quick decisions and adjust project plans

In short, by using monday.com, we can ensure structured and well-documented project processes, which leads to greater accuracy and consistency in project implementation. All project participants within the Luana Group work with this tool.◼