SOLV Energy tops Wiki-Solar’s list of solar EPCs

Wiki-Solar’s Q3 2023 update reveals more than 35 companies with at least 1 GW of global construction experience, including 20 with over 2 GW of capacity.

November 14, 2023 John Fitzgerald Weaver

Image: SOLV Energy

Wiki-Solar has updated its list of top solar Engineer, Procure, and Construct (EPC) companies, placing SOLV Energy and McCarthy Building of the U.S. in the top two spots. France’s Eiffage, the U.S.’ First Solar, and India’s Sterling & Wilson complete the top five, respectively.

Wiki-Solar highlights that all the top 35 companies they track have more than 1 GWac of solar installation experience, with 20 exceeding 2 GW. The resurgence of solar across Europe has propelled contractors from Germany, Spain, and, surprisingly, France up the list. Despite France’s strong nuclear presence, which has kept it out of the top ten countries for solar, it boasts two EPCs in the top six.

As India, the world’s largest nation in population, broadens its solar initiatives, companies like Tata are climbing the ranks, joining compatriots Sterling and Wilson, Acme and Mahindra.

Wiki-Solar’s list of top EPCs indicates that these 35 contractors account for approximately 96 GWac of installed solar, about 18% of the global total. However, Wiki-Solar notes that the “EPC Contractor” field is available for only 30% of their projects.

The website also acknowledges historical underrepresentation of Chinese data, anticipating that Chinese companies will move up the list in future rankings. Currently, only one Chinese installation company features in the top twenty.

SOLV Energy, with over 224 projects totaling 12 GWac of installed capacity listed on Wiki-Solar, retains its number one ranking from January 2022. Since then, the company has added 2.4 GW of capacity across sixteen facilities.

Wiki-Solar tracks both the projects and locations of various companies. The accompanying map highlights SOLV Energy’s solar projects in the database.

In early 2022, SOLV Energy announced the commencement of a 1.3 GW Mammoth Solar facility project.

McCarthy Building, ranking second, has deployed over 5.4 GW of solar. The company recently started construction on projects totalling more than 1 GW in the U.S. Southwest. These include:

A 260 MWdc solar project in Milam County, Texas
A 376 MWdc solar project in Arlington, Ariz., and includes a 300MW battery
A 260 MWdc solar project in Pearsall, Texas
A 217 MWdc solar project in Marana, Ariz. and includes a 213 MW battery

First Solar’s ranking on this list is based on its performance up to 2022. Because the company no longer operates as an EPC, its position on this list is a reflection of its historical contributions to the industry.

Recently, a new map tracking the majority of U.S.-based utility-scale solar power plants has been developed from government project databases. Named the U.S. Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Database (USPVDB), it focuses on ground-mounted, front-of-the-meter projects that are 1 MWdc or larger.

This significant endeavor was a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Energy Resources Program and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Energy Markets and Policy Department. Funding for the project was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office and the USGS Energy Resources Program.

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