Site screening
Solar Grid Connection Screening
Assess early grid plausibility using connection distance, voltage context, route constraints, capacity evidence and programme risk.
Why this workflow matters
Proximity to a line or substation is only a starting point. A credible screen distinguishes mapped infrastructure from confirmed connection rights and makes route, voltage, capacity and queue uncertainty explicit.
Questions to answer
- What connection voltage is plausible for the target capacity?
- Which substations or lines are geographically relevant?
- Can a connection route be secured and permitted?
- What capacity and queue evidence is available?
Recommended workflow
- 1Define target export capacity and likely voltage range.
- 2Map nearby substations and transmission assets.
- 3Review route length, crossings, land and environmental constraints.
- 4Engage the network operator and track application evidence separately from GIS proximity.
Evidence to collect
- ✓ Network maps and operator publications
- ✓ Substation and line attributes
- ✓ Connection-route corridor
- ✓ Capacity, queue and application correspondence
Decision-ready outputs
- → Connection-options shortlist
- → Route and interface risk summary
- → Grid engagement action plan
Market application
- Portugal, Spain, Italy and Germany apply different national, regional and municipal planning controls; EU-wide layers are an initial evidence layer only.
- Grid feasibility must be checked through the relevant transmission or distribution system operator, including queue, capacity, studies and connection route.
- Cadastral boundaries, land rights, local setbacks and permit status require current national or competent-authority evidence.
Worked example
Fictional nearby substation
- Basis
- A mapped substation is 3 km from the site, but voltage, spare capacity, ownership and a viable cable corridor are unconfirmed.
- Screening response
- Treat proximity as a candidate connection option and open four evidence actions; do not score it as confirmed grid feasibility.
- Limitation
- Only the network operator and formal connection process can establish a viable point of connection.
Authoritative starting points
Use these primary sources to begin verification, then obtain the current competent-authority evidence for the project market.
- ENTSO-E — Ten-Year Network Development Plan ↗
European transmission-development context; not project-specific connection capacity
- European Commission — INSPIRE Geoportal ↗
Discovery of official European spatial datasets and metadata
Review status: SolarDev AI internal methodology review; independent technical review not yet published.