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Solar Electric Power Generation

NAICS 221114 · Utilities · SBA size standard: 500 employees

Solar electric power generation companies develop, construct, operate and maintain utility-scale and commercial photovoltaic installations that feed electricity into the grid or serve specific off-taker sites. Daily and seasonal workflows revolve around site monitoring, performance reporting, scheduled maintenance, regulatory compliance filings, inverter and panel inspections, vegetation management, and responding to grid operator curtailment or outage events. Specialists convert SCADA alerts into work orders, schedule technicians around weather and daylight windows, track equipment spares, generate monthly production reports for offtakers and regulators, and keep interconnection agreements, permits and incentive paperwork current.

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What makes this business different

  • High-voltage safety protocols and arc-flash training requirements for all field work
  • Weather-dependent generation forecasts that must be updated daily and seasonally
  • Vegetation growth management around arrays to prevent shading and fire risk
  • Performance ratio tracking, availability metrics and contractual availability guarantees to offtakers
  • Coordination with utility grid operators for curtailment, interconnection testing and outage notifications
  • Annual and semi-annual regulatory filings, NERC compliance data, and incentive program recertifications
  • Spare parts inventory for inverters, combiners, trackers and module strings that must be ready for rapid replacement
  • Drone and thermal imaging inspections that produce large datasets requiring review and archiving

Specialist bots

  • a technician seated at a desk with multiple monitors displaying solar array performance graphs and SCADA dashboards in a control room

    Performance Analyst

    Monitor daily generation data, identify underperformance and generate work orders for investigation.

    Works in: Ambitious Sheets, Ambitious Tasks, Process Optimizer · Workflows: Daily performance and alarm monitoring

    Automates

    • Pulls and normalizes SCADA data nightly
    • Calculates performance ratio and availability
    • Creates and prioritizes anomaly work orders
    • Drafts daily production summary reports

    Stops for a person

    • Operations manager reviews and approves all work orders before dispatch
    • Engineering confirms any changes to expected production models
  • a worker in protective gear reviewing a tablet checklist beside an open inverter cabinet at the base of a solar array

    Maintenance Dispatcher

    Assign qualified technicians to preventive and corrective work orders while respecting safety and weather constraints.

    Works in: Ambitious Tasks, Ambitious Docs · Workflows: Preventive and corrective maintenance dispatch

    Automates

    • Matches technician certifications to task requirements
    • Builds daily and weekly schedules around daylight and weather
    • Packages work instructions with drawings and procedures
    • Tracks completion status and required documentation

    Stops for a person

    • Site manager approves schedule changes due to weather or grid conditions
    • Technicians confirm lockout-tagout and safety briefing before starting high-voltage work
  • a worker launching a drone from a cleared area at the edge of a large solar farm with panels stretching into the distance

    Inspection Coordinator

    Plan and process drone, thermal and ground inspections, then route imagery for analysis.

    Works in: Ambitious Tasks, Ambitious Docs, Ambitious Sheets · Workflows: Drone, thermal and visual inspection capture

    Automates

    • Generates flight plans and schedules crews
    • Organizes and tags incoming imagery files
    • Creates anomaly punch lists for follow-up
    • Archives inspection records by site and date

    Stops for a person

    • Certified drone pilot confirms airspace and weather clearance
    • Engineer reviews and classifies all thermal anomalies before repairs are scheduled
  • a worker operating a large mower between rows of ground-mounted solar panels on a sunny hillside

    Vegetation Management Planner

    Schedule mowing, grazing or herbicide work to minimize shading and fire risk without disrupting generation.

    Works in: Ambitious Tasks, Ambitious Sheets, Ambitious Docs · Workflows: Vegetation management and site upkeep

    Automates

    • Analyzes imagery for shading and growth hotspots
    • Builds seasonal treatment schedules by array zone
    • Coordinates with external grazing or mowing contractors
    • Verifies completion with photo records

    Stops for a person

    • Site manager approves all chemical applications and contractor access
    • Final post-treatment inspection is performed by a qualified person
  • a worker at a standing desk organizing printed regulatory forms and performance charts next to a row of filing cabinets

    Compliance and Reporting Administrator

    Compile and file monthly, quarterly and annual performance and compliance reports for utilities, regulators and offtakers.

    Works in: Ambitious Docs, Ambitious Sheets, Contract Analyzer · Workflows: Regulatory, offtaker and incentive reporting

    Automates

    • Aggregates meter and event data from all sites
    • Populates standardized reporting templates
    • Flags missing data or shortfalls for explanation
    • Tracks filing deadlines and archives submissions

    Stops for a person

    • Engineering manager reviews all performance narratives
    • Legal counsel approves any formal correspondence or amendments before filing
  • a worker scanning a barcode on an inverter spare part inside a climate-controlled warehouse stocked with solar equipment

    Spares and Warranty Steward

    Maintain accurate records of spare parts, track warranties and generate reorder lists for critical components.

    Works in: Ambitious Sheets, Ambitious Tasks, Ambitious Docs · Workflows: Spares inventory and warranty management

    Automates

    • Updates inventory after every maintenance event
    • Monitors stock levels against reorder points
    • Generates purchase requests for low-stock items
    • Tracks serial numbers and warranty claim status

    Stops for a person

    • Procurement manager approves all purchase orders and expenditures
    • Lead technician verifies part condition before accepting new inventory
  • a worker reviewing large printed site plan drawings and electrical single-line diagrams spread across a conference table

    Contract and Permit Specialist

    Track all power purchase, interconnection, permit and incentive agreement dates and draft required notices or renewals.

    Works in: Contract Analyzer, Ambitious Docs, Ambitious Tasks · Workflows: PPA, interconnection and permit administration

    Automates

    • Extracts key dates and obligations from agreements
    • Compiles supporting data for compliance filings
    • Drafts notice letters and amendment requests
    • Maintains centralized document repository

    Stops for a person

    • Legal counsel reviews and approves every document before it is sent or filed
    • Executive signs all formal amendments and regulatory submissions

Workflows

Daily performance and alarm monitoring

Starts when: SCADA system alert, daily midnight reset or manual request

  1. Pull overnight production, irradiance, temperature and availability data from the plant SCADA
  2. Compare actual output against expected forecast adjusted for weather
  3. Flag inverters, strings or trackers showing underperformance or faults
  4. Create prioritized work order tasks for each anomaly
  5. Draft daily performance summary for operations manager review

Watch for: Rapid identification of inverter communication loss versus actual power loss; Seasonal adjustments for winter snow cover or summer heat derating

Preventive and corrective maintenance dispatch

Starts when: Work order created from monitoring, quarterly schedule or after major weather event

  1. Review technician certifications, location and current weather window
  2. Assign tasks to available crews with proper high-voltage qualifications
  3. Generate work package with single-line diagrams, torque specs and safety procedures
  4. Schedule the work in the construction-scheduler tool around sunrise/sunset and grid outages
  5. Close the task only after photo documentation and test results are attached

Watch for: All work on live equipment requires two-person crews and lockout-tagout verification; Inverter replacement must occur within contracted response times to avoid availability penalties

Drone, thermal and visual inspection capture

Starts when: Monthly, quarterly or post-storm schedule

  1. Plan flight paths that respect FAA rules, property boundaries and array layout
  2. Capture thermal, visual and electroluminescence imagery
  3. Tag anomalies such as hotspots, cracked modules or vegetation encroachment
  4. Load imagery sets into review queue for engineering analysis
  5. Generate punch-list of repairs needed

Watch for: Flights must be completed in low-wind conditions before noon to avoid thermal artifacts; Data volumes can exceed hundreds of gigabytes per site per inspection

Vegetation management and site upkeep

Starts when: Seasonal growth cycle, after heavy rain or when shading thresholds are reached

  1. Review latest drone imagery and ground sensor data for shading and fire fuel load
  2. Draft mowing, grazing or herbicide application schedules by zone
  3. Coordinate with landowners or grazing partners for timing that avoids generation impact
  4. Verify work completion with before-and-after photos
  5. Update site maintenance log for regulator audits

Watch for: Must maintain minimum clearance from panels and electrical equipment per fire code; Some sites use sheep or goats that require temporary fencing and monitoring

Regulatory, offtaker and incentive reporting

Starts when: Monthly production close, quarterly true-up or renewal deadline

  1. Aggregate meter data, availability logs and event reports from all sites
  2. Populate standardized NERC, utility and state incentive templates
  3. Draft narrative explanations for any availability shortfalls or curtailment events
  4. Route completed reports for final engineering and legal sign-off
  5. File and archive stamped copies with timestamps

Watch for: Different utilities and states require different data formats and calculation methods; Availability guarantees are contractually binding and subject to liquidated damages

Spares inventory and warranty management

Starts when: After each maintenance event, quarterly count or when stock drops below reorder point

  1. Update inventory sheets with parts used, returned or newly received
  2. Track serial numbers and warranty expiration dates for inverters and major components
  3. Draft purchase orders for items approaching minimum stock levels
  4. Coordinate return shipments of failed equipment to manufacturers
  5. Forecast spares needs based on fleet age and failure rate trends

Watch for: Many components are heavy and require specialized shipping and handling; Warranty claims must be filed with precise failure data and photos within strict time limits

PPA, interconnection and permit administration

Starts when: Anniversary dates, utility notices or regulatory renewal periods

  1. Scan contract-analyzer for upcoming notice or renewal dates across all sites
  2. Compile supporting performance data and maintenance records
  3. Draft amendment or compliance letters for legal review
  4. Track insurance, property tax and environmental permit expirations
  5. Maintain centralized repository of all executed agreements and as-built drawings

Watch for: Interconnection agreements contain strict notification and testing requirements; Changes in ownership or control often require prior utility approval

Bot templates for this industry

Source: U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Size Standards, Table of Small Business Size Standards Matched to North American Industry Classification System Codes, version March 2023 (effective 2023-03-17, NAICS 2022). Size standards are shown for reference only.