Supporting Efficient, Deliverable and Resilient Energy Projects

Energy infrastructure—particularly BESS (Battery energy storage systems) schemes, onshore wind and solar installations—relies heavily on an accurate understanding of ground conditions and proportionate, buildable geotechnical design. Earthworks, foundations and access infrastructure often present the highest risks and costs for energy infrastructure, particularly BESS and onshore wind farms.

North Geotechnics can help to manage these risks early and efficiently to ensure project success.

Earthworks Assessment and Design

Energy schemes often cover large land parcels with poor ground conditions.

North Geotechnics provides cut-fill strategies to optimise platform formation and minimise material export/import to comply with tight planning requirements. We can assess material reuse, and specify the compaction and validation requirements for earthworks across the sites including access roads.

Foundations

Foundation systems for energy projects require careful selection based on ground behaviour.

We offer optioneering and detailed design for all types of shallow and deep foundations, including screw piles. Our designs include bearing capacity and settlement checks as well as ensuring ground related risks such as soft ground, high groundwater and aggressive soils are managed.

Construction on Poor Ground

Many energy sites occupy sites with low strength and/or variable ground conditions. Peat, compressible materials and high groundwater are common risks.

We provide assessment of soft, compressible or made ground, and where required ground improvement design (geogrids, capping layers, rigid inclusions, stabilisation). We can assess settlement to ensure criteria are met for sensitive structures.

Working Platforms and Access Roads

Wind turbine and BESS installation requires heavy mobile plant during construction and operations stages.

We can ensure access and mobilisation with working platform design for cranes, piling rigs and tracked equipment. Our design include full specifications, verification and monitoring requirements. We can also provide design and specifications for access roads, including basal reinforcement on soft ground.