Sponsored Content: In the UK, ROCs end as of March 2017, so it’s either build it or lose it. Every solar company in the UK will be trying to build as much as possible between now and March, resulting in shortages of components, quality labour, and connection dates.
Everyone in the industry is aware of this. The good, serious EPCs and developers will do their best to plan carefully and efficiently. If you are one of these, you understand the significance of not only planning in advance but also preparing a backup plan. You know how important it is to plan your cash flow, to inspect site conditions diligently, to verify your design in real-life conditions on site, prior to construction. You probably also know the importance of hiring the best, most reliable contractors, who not only take instructions from you but can also provide invaluable feedback and practical solutions.
You know it’s going to be a tight schedule, but you have a plan. But as Mike Tyson once so eloquently stated: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”.
These words of wisdom are most appropriate to building utility scale solar PV in the UK when chasing ROC deadlines. The time comes to implement those plans, only to be met with: material delivery delays, connection date changes, sites turning into mud, and everything in between.
When things like this happen you will see the true quality of your installers. It all comes down to how they handle these adversities. Can the installer mobilise more people quickly? Is he flexible in changing the installation program? Is he looking for practical solutions or sending hundreds of emails to cover his contractual value proposition? Basically, is he focusing on connecting your sites, or squeezing more cash out of you?
When we at Activia Solar get punched in the mouth, we punch back by manning up, persevering and getting the site connected anyway. We’ve completed over 35 commercial scale projects in the UK alone, have worked with top UK and European EPCs. We’ve also connected every single project on time. I’m proud of the quality of our work, so I’m happy to show you the sites we’ve built.
