The Philippines has been actively expanding its deployment of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants, harnessing the benefits of high solar irradiance. This approach is seen as a promising way to diversify the energy mix and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. In the Bugallon area, numerous solar farms of various sizes have been constructed in recent years, making a significant contribution to the region’s power grid. This has meant that the construction of these ground-mounted solar PV power plants demands efficient and reliable solar piling and material handling solutions. Today, we proudly highlight our achievements in supplying equipment for one of the solar farms located in Brgy. Salomague Sur, Bugallon, Pangasinan, through Cross-Link Electric & Construction Corporation, formerly known as Cross-Link Electric Corporation.

What challenge are we facing on-site?

The site primarily consists of a flat surface, with some areas showing an inclination of approximately 15 to 20 degrees, making navigation with conventional equipment difficult. The land is hard and contains many stones beneath the surface. Solar PV modules are bulky and can be heavy, requiring specialized equipment for safe and efficient handling, while purlins, though lighter, are often long and unwieldy.

What solutions do we offer?

◉　Solar Pile Driver

Our Solar Pile Driver, known as Screw Pile Machine, is revolutionizing the installation of ground-mount solar systems. This crawler hydraulic drilling rig harnesses innovative construction technology and a climbing mechanism, adjustable to accommodate slope heights of up to 45 degrees, enabling the execution of solar engineering projects on challenging terrains.

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Embracing a range of photovoltaic construction technologies, the equipment excels in screw pile drilling, spiral hole drilling, rock down-the-hole (DTH) hammer operations, and ramming pile installations. With its hydraulic components featuring imported original parts, the machine achieves remarkable performance and exceptional stability.

Its compact design features a mast with a telescopic compensation function, enhancing borehole stability as it operates, while being supported firmly on the ground.

This solar piling machine stands as a testament to reliability, efficiency, and versatility, proudly recognized as the strongest mountainous solar drilling rig in the Philippines. Furthermore, its capabilities extend to various applications, including anchoring, water well construction, water conservation projects, power plant establishment, open-pit mining, road building, and various other blasting hole operations.

◉　Telehandler

Our Manitou MT-X 1840 telehandler has an impressive lifting capacity of up to 4 tons and can reach a height of 17.55 meters. This capability enables the effective handling of numerous solar photovoltaic (PV) modules or a substantial quantity of purlins, ensuring confidence in performance and reliability. Its extended reach and height enable efficient unloading from delivery trucks and precise placement of materials within the project area, even over obstacles.

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With a generous ground clearance of 42 cm, short turning radius of 4.01 m, four-wheel drive, and three steering modes (four-wheel steer, two-wheel steer, and crab mode), the telehandler is easy to maneuver in the varied and sometimes challenging terrain of the solar farm. The outriggers and frame leveling system ensure that handling loads is performed safely.

Additionally, the telehandler is equipped with various attachments, such as pallet forks, jib, and platform basket, allowing for seamless transitions between loading, unloading, and hauling tasks.

The telehandler’s deployment followed a systematic workflow:

• Unloading: Upon arrival of delivery trucks, the MT-X 1840 efficiently unloaded crated solar PV modules and bundles of purlins. Its precise control allowed for careful handling, minimizing the risk of damage.
• Staging and Storage: Materials were then transported by the telehandler to designated staging and temporary storage areas within the project site, ensuring organized material flow and easy access for installation teams.
• Hauling to Installation Points: As installation progressed, the telehandler hauled the modules and purlins from the staging areas directly to the specific rows and arrays where they were needed. This direct-to-point delivery significantly reduced manual labor and installation time.

Results and Benefits

The utilization of the rented Solar Piler Driver and Telehandler MT-X 1840 yielded significant benefits for the Bugallon Solar Power Plant project:

• Increased Efficiency: Solar ground screw piling works and material handling operations have been significantly optimized, leading to faster pile driving activities, unloading, and transportation, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of the project.
• Reduced Labor Costs: They both minimized the need for extensive manual handling or traditional piling methods, reducing labor requirements and associated costs.
• Enhanced Safety: By mechanizing heavy lifting and piling works, the risk of injuries to workers was substantially reduced, creating a safer working environment.
• Minimized Material Damage: The precise control and stability of the telehandler helped prevent damage to fragile solar PV modules and valuable purlins during transport. Unlike traditional pile driving methods that might use excessive force, our solar pile driver is designed to apply a controlled and consistent driving force. This prevents overdriving, buckling, or deformation of the piles.
• Improved Project Timeline Adherence: These effective equipment played a crucial role in keeping the project on schedule, helping to avoid expensive delays.

Conclusion

This example highlights the value of renting solar pile driver and telehandler for the installation and material handling challenges faced by ground-mounted solar PV farms in Bugallon. By leveraging advanced, reliable equipment specifically tailored for solar projects, the construction has been able to significantly improve operational efficiency, reduce installation timelines, and lower overall costs. MAYON’s rental services offer flexible and affordable options along with 24/7 support without the need for large capital investments, making the Philippines’ renewable energy projects more accessible and scalable nationwide.