As harnessing the power of the sun to meet our needs becomes more and more feasible, the need for the infrastructure to make it happen grows as well. Solar farms are emerging around the world, presenting new opportunities for energy providers, but also present many of the same old challenges as oil and gas pipelines and hydroelectric dams.
As was the case with the previous generation of power generation projects, solar farm construction often requires crews to deal with some inhospitable and sensitive terrain. While they are more advanced and cleaner than other types of power generation facilities, these farms still require large amounts of land in some very remote locations with no sidewalks to facilitate travel. This also means that the contractors responsible for building them must work in areas that may have unstable or rugged soils. In some cases, they may need to traverse undeveloped wetlands or other environmentally sensitive spots that require light treading. Unfortunately, the machines needed to build these installations are not the most elegant or flexible.
Heavy-Duty Ground Protection Mats
The good news is that the solutions to these problems are not as complicated as you might think. Crews can use heavy-duty ground protection mats to improve access to remote worksites, prevent damage to their equipment and protect the environment. Made of extremely durable wood joined together, these can be laid and connected to form temporary paths and staging areas that can support heavy equipment.
The use of these solutions in renewable energy projects is very beneficial in many ways. Among the many benefits contractors can gain through their use are
Perhaps the most important advantage these provide is that they allow heavy machinery to easily traverse untamed terrain. Since many solar projects are built in open spaces away from densely populated areas, these ground protection mats make getting the necessary equipment in and out of the site much easier.
Building the necessary roads to allow trucks and cranes to reach an isolated job site can add significant costs to what is already a major capital project. On the other hand, using access mats allows workers to build roads quickly and easily. This helps keep budgets consistent.
These temporary road mats can be assembled and disassembled quickly, which means they can help crews finish on time. Because they also provide a strong, stable base for machines to work on, these mats prevent damage that could lead to breakdowns.
Without putting these down, the tread and tires of construction machinery come into direct contact with the ground. This can cause serious damage to fragile ecosystems that can take years to heal. Therefore, it is vital for contractors who wish to avoid harming the environment and comply with regulations to have mats installed on site.
