Photovoltaic Wire Management for Utility-Scale Solar Installations

The commercial solar industry broke a record in 2023, with 18.4 gigawatts (GW) of new solar power hitting the U.S. grid that year. That record only lasted until 2024, however: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) expected over 36 GW of new solar power to come online that year. 

The photovoltaic boom creates lots of work for electricians and the wholesalers who supply them. But that work also entails unique challenges. After all, wiring a field of solar panels is very different from your standard commercial building installation. 

Luckily, the material handling market is responding to the demand. New cable-handling solutions can speed up solar installations, reduce strain on workers, and give wholesalers value-adds that keep customers coming back. 

Here are the top three challenges associated with installing photovoltaic wire at utility scale, plus one strong solution. 

Looking for a faster, safer way to wire up a solar plant? Try the PV Wire Reel Payout from BHS, Inc. 

Installing Photovoltaic Wire: 3 Challenges in Utility-Scale Solar

This blog often discusses the challenges of handling electrical cable. (See here, here, and here, for instance.) Most of what you’ll find in our previous coverage also applies to photovoltaic cable—or, more properly, photovoltaic wire, since it only contains a single conductor. 

Related: The Difference Between Industrial Cable and Wire
  
But running photovoltaic wire for a whole solar plant is no easy task, due largely these three factors: 

1. Every solar panel requires two DC wires. Most AC cable consists of multiple conductors, all bundled into the same sheath. But photovoltaic (PV) wire transmits DC power, which means you need to run both positive and negative conductors for every panel. Without the right equipment, that can double installation times. 
2. Utility-scale solar plants cover large areas. The smallest solar farms occupy more than two acres, while many utility-scale plants cover hundreds of acres or more. To connect every panel within that footprint, you need extremely long wire runs. More material means more weight, and greater difficulty positioning reels and pulling the wire. 
3. Solar plants are outdoor installations. Working out of doors makes it harder to move large reels of PV wire. You typically can’t simply wheel jack stands around the site like you could on an indoor installation. Outdoor work also increases the risk of heat illness for workers. 

Mitigate all these risks with the PV Wire Reel Payout from BHS, Inc. This payout solution features two steel PV Wire Reels mounted on a heavy-duty Reel Stand. Load positive DC wire onto one reel, and negative onto the other. That way, electricians can pull wires in parallel, bringing both conductors to every solar panel with a single action. 

These PV Wire Reels are designed for high-capacity storage, reducing material handling time by eliminating the continuous retrieval of smaller wire reels. Position the unit at the end of a panel row for quick, painless installation. 

Finally, the PV Wire Reel was designed to work with outdoor industrial trucks. Integrated fork pockets allow lift trucks to transport and reposition the unit safely and efficiently. By reducing material handling demands, you also give workers more time for breaks in the shade on a hot work day. 

All these benefits are for electricians, but the PV Wire Reel can also help wholesalers run a more profitable operation. 

PV Wire Reel Payouts as a Value-Added Service

As much as 40 percent of a construction electrician’s day can be spent handling materials, not finishing the installation. So, anything an electrical wholesaler can do to reduce material handling demands brings a lot of value. 

Consider shipping photovoltaic wire orders pre-loaded onto a PV Wire Reel Payout. Wire will be ready to install right off the truck, saving time and effort for electricians. PV Wire Reel Payouts are extremely durable, so you can send them out order after order, collecting them after the job is complete. 

Electricians will appreciate the convenience and added efficiency of this delivered solution, driving customer retention and, eventually, future sales. Whether you’re an electrician or a wholesaler, however, photovoltaic wire doesn’t have to be a challenge to handle. Just use the right tool for the job: a PV Wire Reel Payout from BHS, Inc. 

Questions about electrical material handling equipment from the experts at BHS? Call our sales team at 1.800.247.9500 to learn more.