The growth of solar power, even in the last few years, has been rapid. According to the International Energy Forum, the world added more solar capacity in 2022 than all other energy sources combined. But the world of solar power is nothing new to PCL Construction, which has been expertly navigating the technology for more than 15 years.

With large-scale solar energy generation projects across Canada, the United States and Australia, PCL has built an industry-leading team that collaborates and shares expertise across all project sites and offices.

“We have a lot of very qualified folks who bring years of experience in construction to the table, both specific to the solar industry and from markets outside solar,” says Dillon Houston, the engineering manager for PCL’s Australia Solar and BESS business based in Sydney, Australia. “Those different types of experience give us a cutting edge in the solar market.”

One area where PCL’s depth of expertise comes into play is in optimizing the long-term performance of solar energy projects and de-risking their designs. This means configuring the design of the solar plant to optimize performance efficiency and hit production targets, even in less-than-ideal conditions, while also making sure the site is accessible for operations and maintenance personnel. Environmental concerns like wetland protection, stormwater management and soil erosion have to be considered. Special crossing, utility allowances and future land use must also be taken into account. And, of course, schedules have to allow for long lead times in procuring equipment.

“Optimizing a solar project is like playing the most difficult game of Tetris you’ve ever played in your life,” says Nick Vastano, operations support manager for PCL Solar based in Toronto. “But it’s an expert-level game that we’ve been playing and setting new high scores in for 15 years.”

That game of Tetris requires experts in different areas to work together to make sure everything goes according to plan. “We can run into challenges during construction because we have numerous subsystems that must be correctly integrated to create a high-performing system,” Houston says. “If something doesn’t work right with one subsystem, you can’t move forward to the next because everything is interconnected. One problem can have a compounding effect across the entire project and effective system integration is key.”

One of those experts, David Minor, came to PCL in 2020 after working in oil and gas for 11 years and being part of a startup solar energy company for a decade. Today, he’s an operations manager based in PCL’s Houston, Texas office, where he works to provide solar solutions for clients across the United States.

“Working for my previous company, when we started our solar company in 2010, I had zero experience. Every person we hired had zero experience in solar. We all had a learning curve,” Minor says. “Now, because we have the experience, it’s much easier for us to talk to a potential candidate, recognize their talent and figure out how their talent and experience will enhance teams. Whenever we hire a new designer or engineer, we spend considerable time teaching and mentoring them, so they too will successfully contribute to delivering predictable, efficient and cost-effective turn-key solar solutions for our clients.”

Alongside solar energy generation projects, battery energy storage systems (BESS) are gaining in popularity because of their ability to regulate and stabilize the amount of electricity a project puts into the power grid. PCL’s experts are at the forefront of this market, amassing valuable expertise while delivering several BESS projects across Canada. In Nova Scotia, PCL is designing and constructing three BESS projects that will each be capable of injecting 50 megawatts of electricity into the grid in just four hours. Andrew Fleetwood, chief estimator and manager of preconstruction services for PCL’s solar team, has been working on BESS projects since 2016.  

“BESS is crucial to the long-term viability of diversifying the global energy supply through renewable sources because it helps with grid stability, storing energy in times of low demand which would otherwise be lost, and making things more predictable,” Vastano says. “BESS is going to be the next wave of expansion, and our team is experienced and ready.”

Vastano — who first joined PCL as a student in 2014 — leads technological and training initiatives for the solar team, including the development of solar-specific training courses. Some of the larger topics include commissioning, design management and quality management, but he’s also developing 30-minute micro-learning modules on smaller topics like project insurance and culture.

“We’re capturing that wealth of solar expertise we have and distilling it down for new employees — or maybe seasoned employees who are transferring over to the solar team for the first time — so they can hit the ground running,” Vastano says.

These training modules mean that PCL hires top engineers from a wide range of specific backgrounds and gives them the tools and knowledge to deliver excellence for clients in the solar industry.

“If you have a strong construction, electrical or mechanical background, there’s a job for you in solar,” Minor says.

But, as Houston points out, that knowledge changes quickly as the solar industry evolves. “Every project, there’s something unique and different — a new module, a new inverter, some other type of new technology or project site challenges,” he says. “PCL’s extensive history of working with engineering consultants, trade partners, technology providers and owners means it’s easier for us to figure out how to integrate new technologies. We’ve really worked at developing and fostering external partnerships with top-tier consultants, trade partners and suppliers, and we can lean on them if we have any questions.

“At this stage, we’ve built a large repertoire of projects; we know what works well and can drive success. The solar industry is still in some ways the Wild West, but we have the experience to drive home successful projects and give clients certainty in this changing market. It’s a balance of great teams internally and great relationships externally.”

As a top 10 contractor in North America, and as Canada’s largest general contractor with more than 100 years of experience under its belt, including solar projects across North America and Australia, PCL’s brand carries a lot of weight in the construction market. This reputation helps the company attract the brightest young engineers and their new ideas to the established solar team.

“When people are looking at where they want to work, PCL is already at the top of their lists,” Vastano says. “We put it out there that we have industry-leading experts and we always have a focus on innovative new technologies and employee development.”

Houston joined PCL in 2019 after graduating with his mechanical engineering degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. In January 2024, he relocated to Australia to accelerate his career, gain valuable experience in a new market and exchange knowledge with the experts there.

“It’s been a fun ride with all the growth and challenges. PCL has provided a lot of growth opportunities, along with consistently great mentorship and coaching from across the company,” Houston says. “I was driven toward renewable energy because I thought it would be really rewarding. And now I come to work every day with a purpose behind me.”

Houston says the solar potential in Australia is “endless.” “There’s going to be consistent and significant growth over the next 10 years here,” he says. That means opportunities to build exciting projects — projects that PCL is uniquely positioned to deliver.

As solar projects become more viable, and as PCL’s solar team continues to cultivate in-house expertise and a new generation of solar leaders, Minor believes PCL will become even more effective at providing solutions for solar clients.

“There are hundreds of gigawatts of projects in pipelines across the United States,” he says. “PCL’s reputation and ability to execute will put us at the top of the list. I would put our team up against anybody.”