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The solar industry faces a harsh reality: up to 80% of projects never see the light of day. Engineers, GIS managers, and developers must navigate a path full of obstacles to take their projects from concept to completion.On Watt Matters, a podcast from PVcase, we speak with industry leaders about the major challenges they run into daily. We get to the root of why projects fail and share the recipe for building a more resilient foundation for success.

<ul><li>Reducing risk during early-stage planning.</li><li>Optimizing solar design and layout.</li><li>Improving collaboration across the value chain.</li><li>Applying lessons from successful (and failed) projects.</li><li>Leveraging new tools and trends in the industry.</li></ul>From site selection and permitting to system design, energy modeling, and interconnection, we cover the full solar development lifecycle.If you&#039;re ready to hear what actually works, this is the podcast for you.▶️ <a target="_blank" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3xzrCiBFWCurIeAe1xyxHM">Listen on Spotify</a>▶️ <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/watt-matters-by-pvcase/id1840478998">Listen on Apple Podcasts</a>▶️ <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcnnj3F9gVOwCRaQiC-9C7hS8EooTCAUk">Watch on YouTube</a>

Each episode offers real-world insights, focusing on the critical stages of solar development:

Resource

S1E1 | The State of Solar Development 2025, with Miguel Herrero

Welcome to Watts Up, by PVcase

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Want to know what it really takes to succeed in solar? Subscribe to Watt Matters for an unfiltered look at why projects fail. We talk with industry experts about overcoming the biggest hurdles in solar development, from early-stage planning to system design.Get exclusive insights and learn how to build a more resilient foundation for success, no matter where you are in the project lifecycle.

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Max Hailer

The solar industry remains confident despite much-publicised headwinds. Professionals around the world expect continued growth in their project pipelines, with a near-unanimous belief that solar will soon become the world’s main power source by 2050.

But while this rapid expansion is a cause for optimism, it has intensified a set of challenges — ones that are not always visible but are the cause of most project setbacks.The <a target="_blank" href="https://get.pvcase.com/pvcase-2025-solar-industry-report?utm_campaign=ma-pvcase&amp;utm_source=ctablog&amp;utm_medium=marketing-automation">2025 State of Solar Project Development report</a> uncovers these latent obstacles and the way they test the day-to-day work of solar professionals globally.Based on an anonymous online survey of over 400 solar professionals conducted in June 2025, it balances a cross-section of respondents from the United States, Germany, Spain, and Italy.Indeed, this research provides a unique view into the biggest hurdles facing the industry today and serves as a guide for understanding the operational realities that determine a project&#039;s success or failure.

The solar house of cards: building on a fragile foundation

<h2>The solar house of cards: building on a fragile foundation</h2>If a solar project has a solid design and a great site why would it fail? Our research reveals that the answer lies in the complex, data-intensive period that precedes construction. This &quot;pre-construction Valley of Death,&quot; which extends from initial site selection through to financial close, is where a majority of projects falter. The top reasons for project failure are external — challenges in financing, regulatory uncertainty, and having too many stakeholders. However, these hurdles also highlight the weak internal foundations many failing projects possess, mainly due to inefficient workflows. This latent internal flaw is exacerbated in the context of the industry’s booming growth, as it can mask deep-seated operational vulnerabilities.Major workflow bottlenecks destabilizing projects include:<ul><li>Lack of standardized process</li><li>Lack of async communications</li><li>Lack of alignment on priorities</li></ul>What the vast majority of respondents agreed on, is that high quality engineering is fundamental to project success, and ensure the project is not kicked back by permitting authorities or by financing committees.

<h3>From rework to revenue loss</h3>Project reworks and redesigns are further hurdles in the path toward realization.52% of professionals report that more than a quarter of their solar project designs require significant revisions after the initial design phase is complete. This means losing valuable engineering hours and delaying procurement and construction schedules, ultimately eroding the profitability of projects and entire portfolios.Furthermore, the industry’s reliance on a patchwork tech stack is another key contributor to fragility. Our survey found professionals are juggling an average of nearly 7 different software tools, with 60% of the total 331 cited being non generic, non-specialized software like Excel and AutoCAD. This approach has a clear consequence: communication bottlenecks, data silos, and significant project rework. The result is a cycle of manual data transfers and software compatibility issues that affect most projects.The inability to align teams and maintain clear communication is especially detrimental when managing a multitude of stakeholders and, subsequently, securing enough financing. Thus, it confirms that the challenge of project failure is fundamentally rooted in a company’s operational capability, not just external pressures.

A varied funding landscape

<h2>A varied funding landscape</h2>The complexity of the pre-construction phase is also very apparent in financing. Our analysis of funding composition shows that no single source holds a majority stake, creating a multifaceted funding environment that combines private equity, bank loans, subsidies, and to a lesser extent, institutional investment and venture capital. This variety translates into developers having to satisfy the distinct requirements of various sophisticated financial partners. The good news is that the report also points to developers having greater access to liquidity to invest in new projects, resulting in a relatively lower impact of interest rates on project financing.According to the survey, solar projects are typically financed with 55% equity and 44% debt, which contradicts the conventional rule of thumb of a 70/30 debt-to-equity ratio.

The BESS conundrum

<h2>The BESS conundrum</h2>The integration of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) is a huge opportunity for solar, but it also magnifies existing problems. The same workflow challenges facing solar projects are even more acute when BESS is involved, making project development more precarious. <a target="_blank" href="https://pvcase.com/blog/bess-design-ac-vs-dc-coupling">BESS introduces new hurdles</a> such as cost-benefit analysis and technical complexity. This begs the question of whether the industry’s current fragmented tools and inefficient workflows are even capable of handling this next era of solar.

A global problem, localized hurdles

<h2>A global problem, localized hurdles</h2>While these challenges are global, they present themselves differently across markets. <ul><li>In Germany, the main hurdle is site selection in a densely populated nation. </li><li>In Spain, the primary bottleneck is a &quot;human hurdle&quot; of managing a wide array of stakeholders. </li><li>In Italy, regulatory uncertainty is the main roadblock. </li><li>In the U.S., professionals show the most urgent demand for a better way to work, highlighting that this problem is top-of-mind for them.</li></ul>

The path forward

<h2>The path forward</h2>The data shows that the solar industry’s immense potential is at risk of being bogged down by its own complexity. The time for a new approach is now. Professionals are united in what they believe the solution should be—a new generation of <a target="_blank" href="https://get.pvcase.com/move-solar-projects-forward-smarter-and-faster-solar-project-development-with-the-pvcase-platform">tools that can unify people, data, and processes.</a>This vision for a unified future is what will ultimately define the next era of solar project success. The 2025 State of Solar Project Development report offers a deeper look into this new reality, providing the data and insights to help you get there.

Explore the insights, find out the solar professionals' demanded solutions, and get a best practices checklist to ensure your projects' success.

Download the full report

The booming solar industry presents latent challenges. Get PVcase's 2025 State of Solar report to uncover the biggest hurdles and a checklist for success.

The state of solar projects: why booming growth is exposing flaws in project delivery

The state of solar: why booming growth is exposing flaws in project delivery

How to cut solar project development time by 50% with seamless software integration

Key metrics

Summary

Solar engineering evolves rapidly. Companies often find themselves at a crossroads between innovation and operational challenges. New Leaf Energy, a pioneer in solar project development across the US, found itself in this position when expanding its projects from modest 5MW sites to sprawling 450 MW installations. As an EPC developer and consulting firm, the company grappled with labor-intensive site selection, slow design iterations, and the daunting task of yield optimization. That’s when they discovered PVcase, a platform that would transform an entire solar project development workflow. The integration of PVcase Prospect, PVcase Ground Mount, and PVcase Yield revolutionized New Leaf Energy’s cumbersome, multi-week process into a twice-shorter, seamless, and data-driven operation.

Challenges

Prior to PVcase, New Leaf Energy encountered critical challenges in its solar development process:

Solution: A fully integrated workflow with PVcase

With <a href="/prospect">PVcase Prospect</a>, New Leaf Energy was able to import terrain data in seconds — instead of manually pulling topographic maps.“We rely on traditional site surveys for our smaller projects under 5 MW. But we needed something faster for large utility-scale projects — 50 MW and up. PVcase Prospect changed everything.”  Phil Hofmeyer, design engineering manager at New Leaf Energy.New Leaf Energy conducts detailed site surveys with 1-foot contour intervals for projects under 5 MW. Now, larger utility-scale projects exceeding 50 MW use topography data from PVcase Prospect or PVcase Ground Mount&#039;s Terrain feature. Terrain is a key initial site screening factor, enabling the company to quickly establish the correct presets. This streamlines the project configuration approach in Ground Mount’s CAD environment, simplifying the design process, while PVcase Prospect’s comprehensive toolset ensures fast grid connection, efficient landowner communication, and seamless environmental integration.

Step 1: Site selection with PVcase Prospect

The result?

Projects completed 50% faster, frequent and convenient yield estimations, seamless 20-second switches from site selection to design, and fewer surprises down the road.

After a site successfully passes the initial screening, whether through a site survey or PVcase Prospect, New Leaf Energy seamlessly integrates the terrain and GIS data into PVcase Ground Mount within just 20 seconds. The company then kickstarts the design process with PVcase Ground Mount, which has proven to be a true game-changer.

Step 2: Design with PVcase Ground Mount

Previously, choosing modules and racking configurations was a slow, manual process. Now, the Anza database allows the company to predefine PVcase Ground Mount settings files based on wind/snow loads, pricing, and market availability. Standardized presets enable instant, error-free module configuration for every engineer, saving countless hours of manual input.

Module and frame presets

Once the company has obtained topographical data from PVcase Prospect or a site survey, it utilizes the Terrain Mesh function. This tool is a significant time-saver, allowing the team to import data, create a terrain mesh, and build a slope table tailored to a specific racking vendor. It also ensures compliance with civil constraints across various site conditions. According to Phil Hofmeyer, the Terrain Mesh works seamlessly for early site screening without the need for detailed grading and pile settings adjustments.

Terrain Mesh

Throughout their extensive experience in constructing comprehensive and large-scale solar projects, New Leaf Energy has faced a variety of unexpected challenges. One notable instance was when a landowner revealed that certain sections of a site were under a conservation easement. But the team didn’t panic. They imported the new boundary lines into PVcase Ground Mount, automatically explored five layout scenarios, and found a solution in minutes — ensuring project viability without penalizing the landowner for each crossing of these diversion areas.

Capacity Iteration

Furthermore, the team used Capacity Iteration to quickly estimate the PV area. They determined a 7.5MWp DC system was feasible but needed to choose between fixed-tilt and single-axis tracker systems. This decision was crucial due to its impact on total production and yield, requiring consideration of landowner preferences, local regulations (like height restrictions), and civil engineering concerns.This iterative design process allowed New Leaf Energy’s project evaluation team to reassess site viability, especially after discovering additional constraints.  The ability to quickly iterate layout, ground mount design, and yield calculations fed into the valuation model, confirming the site&#039;s financial viability.Phil Hofmeyer, Design Engineering Manager at New Leaf Energy, noted that integrating PVcase&#039;s Capacity Iteration and yield export features dramatically reduced optimization time from two weeks to less than a day, enabling efficient optimization of early-stage designs and streamlining the entire process.

Once the design was finalized, the moment of truth came — energy yield calculations. Before PVcase, this process took two weeks and required exporting files between multiple platforms. Now, New Leaf Energy smoothly integrates the data from PVcase Ground Mount into <a href="/yield">PVcase Yield</a> and the yield calculation process now takes 1-2 hours for a couple of runs per site.<h4>Here are the key highlights of the workflow:</h4><ul><li>Seamless integration PVcase Ground Mount integrates with PVcase Yield, significantly reducing project design time and saving days, even weeks, on individual designs.</li><li>Concurrent scenario exploration Engineers can now run multiple yield models simultaneously, allowing for rapid comparison and optimization of different layouts, module types, and inverters. As Phil Hofmeyer noted, &quot;I can run 4-5 different yield models simultaneously while working on layouts,&quot; enabling real-time design iteration.</li><li>Data-driven decisions PVcase Yield provides instant access to critical data, empowering New Leaf Energy to make informed decisions based on concrete insights rather than guesswork. This access to data-driven insights increases the optionality of final designs.</li><li>Internal evaluation The ability to quickly generate 8760 production files rationalizes the project evaluation process and strengthens New Leaf Energy&#039;s proposals.</li></ul>PVcase Yield has become an indispensable tool, accelerating solar project development, increasing design optionality, and ultimately delivering more value to New Leaf Energy&#039;s customers.

Step 3: Energy yield calculations with PVcase Yield

Results: faster, smarter, and more profitable solar project development

Adopting PVcase fundamentally reshaped New Leaf Energy&#039;s solar development, driving across-the-board enhancements:

New Leaf Energy is one of the leading developers of renewable energy and energy storage projects in the United States—both distributed generation and utility scale. Headquartered in Lowell, MA, with employees and projects spanning the country, New Leaf Energy was formed in 2022 out of Borrego’s market-leading solar and energy storage development business, which extends back to 1980. New Leaf Energy uses PVcase Prospect, PVcase Ground Mount and PVcase Yield to streamline their operations.

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The solar energy podcast that explores why projects fail — to find a blueprint for success.