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Anyone on here cut solar farms?

11K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  sagesove 
#1 ·
I have an opportunity to cut 3 solar sites totaling 330 acres! I have done small commercial but nothing to this scale. They have informed me they want 4 cuts per year at each site and would like pricing per acre mowed.
There is 25’ from post to post and 13’ between the edges of the solar panels so I was thinking of running a large tractor down the middle with a 15’ batwing brush hog. And then running two 72” zero turns to cut around the posts. The solar panels pivot during the day so there is room to go under one side in the morning and one side in the afternoon.

Iwould appreciate any input on pricing and/or equipment on a job like this! Thanks!
 
#5 ·
I've not cut solar farms but I have first hand knowlege of some things that may help you. First, the "pivoting" you speak of allowing you full height access on each side at opposite times of the day is correct but you're not seeing the whole picture. Those types of panels are called "tracker" systems and they tilt facing east in the morning and continue to move as the sun moves during the day and end up facing west. The issue you will face all day long is as they move, you lose (and gain) on the opposite side. At midday, they will be flat like a tabletop and you'll have low clearance on both sides. They also don't move according to a schedule but on a light sensor that tells the controller its time to tilt the array, so at any time, they will move without notice. They don't move a lot but just an FYI. Another consideration is to actually visit the site and determine whether or not they use a driveshaft system to tilt the array. If this is the case, there will be driveshafts running from row to row that will be in your way. In the midwest, they are usually in the middle of the rows so you can't just run one end to the other, there will be this shaft preventing you from doing so. Also, depending on the specs you are expected to adhere to, you may be required to do a lot of handheld trimming on posts, under electrical equipment on each row, under the driveshafts and any areas you cannot access with ride on equipment. Just saying to be careful on pricing as thats a lot of acreage to lose money on if you goof up.
 
#7 ·
Oh...I forgot to mention another potential issue is quality of site conditions. The solar companies offer farmers big bucks to lease out their land for 25 year contracts. The farmers cash in by offering up plots of their worst land...poorly drained, low lying areas, full of slow drying clay etc. None of them are stupid, they take the poorest producing farmland and turn it into easy money. Point is, you may agree to cut 4 times annually but the days you commit to you may be in soggy, gooey crap...even standing water. Again, not sure where you are but in Minnesota, you'd be amazed at the poor site conditions many of these olar sites are built on.
 
#10 ·
Are you sure the panels actually go flat at some time of the day? Depending on latitude and season and array design they may always be tilted toward the south (assuming you are in the northern hemisphere), and may rotate so they face east in the morning, south at noon, and west in the afternoon. As a result, you may never have the full height you expect on the south side.

Doing the math, it sounds as if each array is 12' wide. Being (presumably) square that would mean the diagonal distance would be 17' so there may be times that they are rotated to significantly reduce the width of opening between corners of the arrays. But then, too, depending on the tilt of the arrays the openings between arrays may increase significantly.

To plan the mowing pattern and equipment requirements requires a good understanding of how the array is designed and functions.

And does vegetation grow up to the vertical posts? Or is there so much shade from the overhead array that nothing grows? Or is there a concrete apron around each post that would keep vegetation from growing within a foot or two of the post? Any issue with spraying herbicide around the posts? You would not be able to run a ztr flush to each post and if you need to run a string trimmer around each you need to put that in your bid. If there are no wires/conduits/etc. external to the posts you might find that a post mower would be the quickest/easiest way to mow around them. Take a look at:
CALDERONI AGRICULTURE grass shredder
Raster Master Trim Mower
fence mower videos
I have no experience with those, and some are probably pretty expensive, but many of them look interesting.
 
#11 ·
I have an opportunity to cut 3 solar sites totaling 330 acres! I have done small commercial but nothing to this scale. They have informed me they want 4 cuts per year at each site and would like pricing per acre mowed.
There is 25' from post to post and 13' between the edges of the solar panels so I was thinking of running a large tractor down the middle with a 15' batwing brush hog. And then running two 72" zero turns to cut around the posts. The solar panels pivot during the day so there is room to go under one side in the morning and one side in the afternoon.

Iwould appreciate any input on pricing and/or equipment on a job like this! Thanks!
We were doing some for around 90 an acre.
 
#12 ·
They do want string trimming and no roundup around all the posts. I’m going to measure the exact height when they’re flat tomorrow. I was thinking about charging much higher than 90/acre. On paper that sounds fine but I’m very worried about finding and being able to pay enough guys to weedeat. But numbers like that is super good info to hear.
Are you weedeating at that cost and how long is the job taking you to do with what equipment/labor?
 
#13 ·
So no offense to gary23 but $90/acre sounds way too low to me. As I stated, I've not cut solar sites but knowing the conditions, construction of the arrays etc., I wouldn't even consider $90/acre. The thing most of us already know is there will always be somebody else willing (or more stupid) to low ball on pricing. Playing that game will always be a race to the bottom so I avoid that trap at all costs. 330 acres may be high volume work but its also not consistent, day to day work you can easily plan for. Do you have the manpower to mobilize a large 4 times a year project like this? If not, it will likely become a 4 time a year nightmare especially if you're not making money. By all means if you have the numbers worked out and it's an opportunity, I wish you the best and hope it works out well for you.
 
#14 ·
Meant to say it’s not nextera. I’ve been looking at hiring temp workers to help with weedeating (like brightview and some of the big companies in my area). I was thinking about throwing out a number around 250-300 per acre. It will probably be a nightmare getting the labor to do the job. I’m expecting that to be the worst part.
 
#15 ·
They do want string trimming and no roundup around all the posts.
Those requirements probably bump up the cost by close to 50%.
It will probably be a nightmare getting the labor to do the job.
You said they are looking to have the 330 acres done 4 times/year, but a critical question for the labor and equipment requirements is how much time you would have to complete each mowing. If you can start at one end and take 3 months to get through everything, then immediately restart, this might make for a comfortable full time job for one person.
 
#16 ·
Is it possible to get something like a Holder tractor(they make a few different sizes:extra samll, small, medium and large)between the rows? Then you have implements on the tractor. One is an auto line trimmer. The other is a mower box, either flail or fine cut. They are on articulated arms and can do some pretty amazing work. All the systems are integrated with sensors and safteys and gps. I think they use them to do alot of solar farms in Europe and Africa.

When I get a minute I'll post some vids and the manufacturers links.
 
#17 ·
So there's another consideration...equipment. Do you bid on these, get the contract and then find you need specialized or additional equipment that you dump a bunch of money on (or finance). Next year rolls around, you get underbid, lose the contract and your'e left holding the bag on a bunch of used stuff you maybe haven't even paid off? What then...sell it to the guy that undercut you for 25 cents on the dollar? Anyway...I'll stop being Debbie Downer...just thinking out loud in an attempt to help.
 
#18 ·
Don’t know anything about Holder tractors, auto string trimmer sounds great. They do want us to get the job done in a couple weeks at each place so not something I can have one or two guys on a site for months at. I would be making sure we get locked into at least a one year contract so I can get equipment paid off. It is a growing industry around me though so hoping this could get me in the door for some of the other ones.

I definitely think it can be a great opportunity but with a lot of question marks so I appreciate hearing everyone’s thoughts about it.
 
#19 ·
Don't know anything about Holder tractors, auto string trimmer sounds great. They do want us to get the job done in a couple weeks at each place so not something I can have one or two guys on a site for months at. I would be making sure we get locked into at least a one year contract so I can get equipment paid off. It is a growing industry around me though so hoping this could get me in the door for some of the other ones.

I definitely think it can be a great opportunity but with a lot of question marks so I appreciate hearing everyone's thoughts about it.
I'd shoot for 2 year contract.
 
#21 ·
@OuterSpacesLLC

These are the few companies I would take a gander at for equipment and implements if I were to try our hand at solar panel farms.

Reform
Aebi
Rapid
Holder(aquired by Karcher)
Fiedler

They all have a lot of neat offerings and specialty equipment and implements. You can get them in the USA. Aebi and Rapid are expanding quickly into the US. Aebi just put up a huge facility in Wisconsin. Rapid is running operations out of Illinois. Holder is expanding dealerships state by state. And word on the street is that Reform is heading to the US soon as well.
 
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