PVcase Prospect
Automate site selection and analysis with comprehensive integrated data for smarter decisions.
Case study
BlueWave: Optimizing solar site selection for pipeline growth with PVcase
Summary
BlueWave faced the challenge of rapidly expanding into new solar markets, needing to move from a reactive to a proactive site acquisition strategy. By adopting PVcase Prospect, they gained a unified platform to quickly identify and filter high-priority sites. This strategic shift significantly improved BlueWave's agility, speed, and volume in site acquisition. With PVcase Prospect, Bluewave successfully acquired 14 target sites and secured advantageous queue positions, rapidly building a deeper, more diverse development pipeline.
Challenges
Market dynamics can rapidly change and developers often need to move fast to take advantage of new opportunities. When BlueWave identified some key siting opportunities in a new market, they needed a way to move forward quickly and scale their process efficiently.
“We received early indications that solar development opportunities would open up in Maine in 2019 which would align with our company’s strengths. We decided to acquire site control on 14 sites in the state before the end of the year.
In the past, we relied on land scout organizations and inbound interest for many years. We had a limited ability to proactively drive the strategic direction of our site acquisition efforts. Additionally, we desired to expand into multiple new markets at once and needed a method to target and reach landowners rapidly and at scale.
We could develop scout networks and communicate our needs and sit back and wait for results, or we could build our own competency in-house and get the added benefit of proactive strategic sourcing.”
— Tyson R. Buerkle, Director of Site Acquisition, BlueWave
Client experience
“We desired to expand into multiple new markets at once and needed a method to target and reach landowners rapidly and at scale.”
Tyson R. Buerkle
Director of Site Acquisition
Solution
Empowering a mission-based solar developer to increase their speed and scale
To overcome these challenges, BlueWave turned to PVcase Prospect, an end-to-end solar project development platform. PVcase Prospect provided a "single platform to filter through to our top priority sites, reach out to the landowners of these sites, and ensure that everyone, who responded with interest, owned a site that we wanted to develop".
This allowed BlueWave to build an in-house team and process around originating their own sites, using the software to "rapidly sift through existing land in our target areas" and automate the identification of high-potential sites. The tool also helped them "maintain a methodical approach and minimizes doubling up on search areas".
“PVcase Prospect provided us a single platform to filter through to our top priority sites, reach out to the landowners of these sites, and ensure that everyone, who responded with interest, owned a site that we wanted to develop.
We built a team and a process around originating our own sites. We use PVcase Prospect to rapidly sift through existing land in our target areas and the software helps us get closer to automating the identification of high-potential sites.
The tool also helps us maintain a methodical approach and minimizes doubling up on search areas.
We have always found the PVcase team immediately responsive to our questions, requests, and needs. They seem genuinely enthused to create solutions that meet our business needs.”
— Tyson R. Buerkle, Director of Site Acquisition, BlueWave
Support highlight
“We have always found the PVcase team immediately responsive to our questions, requests, and needs. They seem genuinely enthused to create solutions that meet our business needs.”
Tyson R. Buerkle
Director of Site Acquisition
Results
"We can now quickly execute the strategy, and secure a deeper and more diverse development pipeline for the company.
With a single team member focusing on the Maine market, we acquired our target sites and provided our interconnection team the ability to secure the most advantageous queue positions in the state.
In the meantime, the Maine legislature passed policy we expected to pass - solidifying the value of our effort.
Through partnering with PVcase, BlueWave has been able to find high-quality sites more quickly and scale their processes across new markets."
— Tyson R. Buerkle, Director of Site Acquisition, BlueWave
About BlueWave
BlueWave is a solar energy developer based out of Boston, MA focusing on community solar and solar development throughout the U.S. The company states: "We're on a mission to bring solar to every community. As a certified B Corp, we are guided by our responsibility to our customers, our community, and the planet."
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