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How EPC Contractors Choose Proper Post for Solar Farm Construction?
For a solar farm construction, EPC contactors needs to choose suitable post at first.
How to choose suitable post, it depends on site conditions, load requirements, and project constraints.
According to different terrain, steel structural column, ground screw can meet different soil conditions foundations.
Common Foundation Pile Types:
Precast concrete piles
Concrete piles that are pre-cast in a factory, transported to the construction site, and driven into the foundation—using methods such as hammering or static pressing—constitute a type of pile foundation.
Precast concrete piles are widely used for the foundation of bridges and high-rise buildings.
Steel structural columns (hot-dip galvanized steel pipes, H-beams, and C-section steel columns)
Steel pipe columns are suitable for ground-mounted centralized PV systems, agri-PV, fishery-PV, and mountainous PV installations, as well as PV carports.
It typically serves as the main vertical post, featuring a base flange for connection to a concrete foundation, or functioning as a screw pile or driven pile by being driven directly into the ground.
Ground Screw
Ground screws work best on flat land with uniform soil, ideal for projects requiring fast construction and minimal site disruption.
It is mainly used for distributed solar, temporary or semi-permanent structures, fast-track projects.
Advantages of Different Types Piles:
Round Shape/Rectangular Shape Steel Pipes
-Annular cross-section: offers excellent compressive and torsional strength, uniform load distribution, and good stability against crosswinds;
– Fully sealed against corrosion via hot-dip galvanizing (cut ends require touch-up with zinc-rich paint);
– Smooth exterior surface: minimizes accumulation of snow, sand, and dust
H Shape Steel Post
Large-scale PV carports, BIPV (Building-Integrated Photovoltaics), ground-mounted power plants in areas with heavy snow or strong winds, elevated-column agrivoltaic systems (allowing passage of agricultural machinery underneath), and auxiliary PV structures for step-up substations; H-beams can serve as either support columns or main horizontal beams.
– High resistance to bending and lateral displacement; sufficient structural rigidity for applications involving great heights and wide column spacing;
– Hot-dip galvanized finish; primarily constructed from Q355B steel; high load-bearing capacity;
C-Profile Shape Steel Post
Distributed rooftop PV and conventional low-profile ground-mounted PV systems account for the largest market volume; beyond their use as vertical posts, these components are widely employed as mounting rails, diagonal braces, and purlins. They feature pre-fabricated elongated holes for modular bolted assembly, eliminating the need for on-site welding.
– Cold-formed, lightweight, and offering superior cost-effectiveness; features pre-fabricated slotted holes for easy adjustment of bracket angles;
– Suitable for projects involving light-to-medium loads and standard column heights.
Ground Screw
Ground screws for PV projects feature rapid installation, low soil disruption and zero concrete work. They can be installed without excavation or concrete curing, protecting the original site vegetation. The galvanized steel ground screws are removable and recyclable, leaving little permanent waste. They provide reliable uplift and bearing capacity for solar mounting systems, and fit well for agrivoltaic and environmentally protected sites.
Choosing the Right Foundation
Uniform soil + fast installation → Ground Screws
Mixed soil + high load → Steel Post
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