Photovoltaic Guidance

In 2013, GSA assessed 63 of its on-site photovoltaic (PV) solar projects and produced a robust resource titled On-Site PV Guidance. GSA concluded that the most successful projects established an integrated project team at the outset, enabling early discovery of potential challenges and allowing for modifications in design and scheduling to be made at minimum cost to the project. View full-size infographic. [PDF - 228 KB]

GPG Findings 008, December 2013, On-Site Photovoltaic Guidance. Opportunity: How is GSA meeting federal mandates for renewable energy? 7.5% Federal mandate goal for renewable energy. 13.2% GSA renewable energy purchased. 1% solar energy production from GSA buildings. Additional .05% from wind and geothermal. Technology: How was the study conducted? Policy review; surveys and interviews with project teams. Measurement and Verification: Where did M and V occur? National Renewable Energy Laboratory collected best practices and lessons learned from 63 of the 74 GSA PV installations nationwide. Results: What did we learn in M and V? Diverse portfolio. System capacity ranged from 10KW to 5MW. Challenges numerous and universal. Project management, site interconnection, technical, and economic. Risks mitigated by advance planning and project management. For more information: Where to find additional information? On-Site PV Guidance Report. Lessons Learned and Best Practices available at gsa.gov/gpg. [PDF - 228 KB]


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Last Reviewed: 2021-09-28