The global mandate for utility-scale solar is expanding at an unprecedented rate. Between 2026 and 2030, the world is expected to add more than 2.5 terawatts of new utility-scale solar capacity. However, with the most accessible flat sites becoming more scarce, new utility-scale solar farms are moving into increasingly complex landscapes. This shift creates a critical technical hurdle: the gap between flat design assumptions and the topographical reality of the ground.

To maintain accuracy in these challenging environments, AutoPV™ has integrated terrain adaptation into its design automation software for utility-scale solar projects. This allows engineers to upload site topography in CSV or XYZ formats directly into the design engine. By making AutoPV terrain aware, layouts now adapt to real elevation and slope, ensuring that component placement and cable routing follow actual ground conditions from the very first iteration.

Moving beyond flat assumptions

For energy engineers, the ability to account for topography early in the design process adds a critical layer of accuracy. When layouts are designed without terrain data, the risk of errors, rework and construction delays increases significantly.

“The only way for engineers to really optimise their designs is to compare multiple options, which are also construction-ready,” says Paul Nel, CEO of 7SecondSolar, the solar engineering studio that developed AutoPV. “For an iteration to be valuable, it must represent the final design with enough detail to be actionable. As we move into more complex landscapes, integrating terrain awareness ensures that the design remains an engineering reality rather than a theoretical estimate. This allows teams to bring the speed of AutoPV to any site, regardless of topography, and make better informed decisions faster.”

Why design automation will drive utility-scale deployment in the near future 

The cost of utility-scale solar has dropped by 90% in the last 15 years, yet the engineering demand is reaching a tipping point. Roughly $27 billion will be spent on designing projects over the next five years, requiring approximately 100,000 work years from the engineering community. Despite this investment, many projects still rely on outdated manual design processes, which can be error-prone and add extensively to project timelines. To add 2.5 terawatts of capacity by 2030, the industry must find ways to slash design timelines and get projects online sooner. 

“Computational design software enables engineers to produce multiple construction ready designs in minutes or hours rather than months. This rapid iteration allows for the comparison of various site layouts and equipment configurations at a level of accuracy that is construction ready, even on the most complex terrain,” says Nel. “Without these tools, the industry will struggle to meet the energy target of 2.5 terawatts by 2030,” adds Nel. 

“We understand the frustration of spending weeks shifting between CAD and spreadsheets, constantly battling design changes. Our aim is to provide a tool that moves as fast as an engineer's thinking, enabling them to unlock the best version of their site as quickly and accurately as possible,” adds Nel.

Why focus on solar deployment? 

The economic argument for solar is now undeniable. While the production costs of coal, oil, and gas remain volatile without a downward trend, solar has seen costs plummet from $0.40 per kWh to less than $0.04. Within a five year window, solar is set to surpass nuclear, wind, hydro, and gas in electricity generation, and could outproduce coal-fired plants entirely by 2032. This trajectory makes solar the most viable sector for development, but its success depends on the tools used to build these multi-billion-dollar assets.

“As the solar industry moves into more geographically challenging landscapes, our engineering platforms must keep pace with that physical reality,” concludes Nel. “By integrating terrain awareness into the design automation process, we are giving engineers the power to navigate complex topographies without sacrificing precision. This is how we can deliver the massive scale of projects required for solar to dominate the global energy mix.”