Optimizing Solar Panel Installation with On-site AR Visualization: Leveraging LRTK Point Cloud Data in PVsyst

In solar power plant panel layout planning, optimal layout design and accurate shadow analysis are indispensable to maximize generation efficiency. For that, it is important to accurately grasp the site's topography and surrounding environment and adjust panel placement and tilt accordingly. However, conventional methods have required time-consuming field surveying and shadow studies, leaving room for improvement in design accuracy and efficiency.

Recently, new approaches that use digital technologies have emerged to solve this problem. One such approach is the use of AR (augmented reality) technology combined with point cloud surveying. In particular, the method of easily acquiring high-precision 3D point cloud data on site using smartphones paired with a small positioning device called “LRTK,” and confirming it on-site via AR visualization, is receiving attention. Combining on-site AR visualization with point cloud data is poised to transform the solar panel installation design process.

This article explains, in light of the challenges of conventional design methods for solar power plant installations, how AR technology and LRTK-derived point cloud survey data contribute to design, shadow analysis, and layout optimization in PVsyst. It describes on-site visual simulation, detailed terrain understanding, improvements in generation simulation accuracy, and design work efficiency, comparing them with traditional methods. At the end of the article, a simple smartphone-only surveying solution using LRTK is also introduced.

Conventional Design Methods and On-site Challenges

In panel layout design for solar power plants, conventional approaches have centered on layout planning based on field surveys and experience. Designers and surveyors would visit the site to measure elevation differences and visually check for elements that obstruct sunlight, such as trees and buildings, and then determine panel placement on drawings or CAD. However, such methods had the following issues.

• Field surveying requires time and specialized skills: Traditional surveying requires measuring many points using total stations or GNSS positioning devices, demanding a team of skilled technicians. Surveying large sites or rugged terrain can consume significant time and effort.

• Reduced design accuracy due to insufficient terrain and obstacle information: Site models created from limited survey data can miss subtle slope changes or small obstacles (low shrubs, adjacent structures, etc.). As a result, unexpected shadows or unsuitable installation areas may be revealed later, causing deviations in predicted energy production.

• Simplified shadow analysis: Conventionally, designers sometimes relied on experience or simple shadow charts for rough on-site solar evaluations. Lacking accurate 3D models, detailed analysis of shadow movement between panel rows and seasonal variations was cumbersome, and simulations were often performed assuming flat terrain.

• Inefficiency in responding to design changes: If layout changes or additional examinations were needed after the initial design, additional field surveys or redrawings of plans were required. This affected project schedules and impeded rapid optimization.

As described above, conventional methods have faced challenges in both accuracy and efficiency, and particularly the accuracy of generation forecasts and planning of installation work have remained uncertain.

On-site DX with AR Technology and LRTK Point Cloud Surveying

To address these challenges, the combination of AR (augmented reality) and high-precision point cloud surveying has recently attracted attention. With AR technology, designers can overlay planned panel layouts and terrain models onto a live view of the site through a smartphone or tablet, allowing them to visually confirm the positions, heights, and shadowing of future panels as if drawing a virtual perspective on the site. This is called “on-site AR visualization,” enabling intuitive on-site simulation that was difficult to achieve before.

However, to use AR accurately on site, precise alignment between digital data and the real world is critical. Standard smartphone AR suffers from GPS accuracy on the order of several meters (several ft), causing mismatches between the display and reality. This is where a new small surveying device called LRTK comes in. LRTK is a palm-sized positioning and measurement device attached to a smartphone; its built-in RTK-GNSS receiver raises the smartphone’s positioning accuracy to the centimeter level positioning accuracy (half-inch accuracy). Furthermore, by utilizing the smartphone’s built-in LiDAR sensor (on supported models), it can scan the surrounding environment to acquire detailed 3D point cloud data. Where standalone smartphone scans could not produce georeferenced models, LRTK enables anyone to easily obtain point cloud models with absolute coordinates.

LRTK point cloud surveying significantly advances on-site digital transformation (DX). Tasks that previously required expensive 3D laser scanners or drone photogrammetry can now be completed with a single smartphone in shorter time and at lower cost. For example, one technician can walk the entire site and scan in a few minutes to quickly obtain a precise point cloud model that includes ground elevation differences and the shapes of surrounding trees and buildings. Acquired data can be uploaded to the cloud for team sharing and is easy to import into the design software discussed later. Additionally, LRTK apps include functions to display acquired point clouds and design data in AR on site, offering an interface that is intuitive even for non-experts. There are reports of field workers using the system without special training, and such technology is enabling digitalization that does not depend on worker skill level.

Optimal Design by Leveraging Point Cloud Data in PVsyst

High-precision point cloud data acquired with LRTK proves powerful in the solar design software PVsyst. PVsyst is widely used for energy prediction and layout design of photovoltaic systems, allowing users to input local meteorological data and panel specifications to simulate annual energy production and losses. One particularly important feature is near shading analysis. PVsyst can construct a 3D scene of the terrain and surrounding structures and calculate the detailed impact of shadows according to solar altitude.

Traditionally, constructing this 3D scene required manually inputting terrain cross-sections or substituting simplified models. However, by using point cloud data acquired with LRTK, it becomes possible to import a digital model that precisely reproduces the actual site into PVsyst. For example, if elevation data of the ground surface generated from point clouds is imported into PVsyst in CSV or GeoTIFF format, panels can be placed on the actual terrain reflecting its undulations. Surrounding trees and buildings can also be converted from point clouds into 3D objects and placed in the scene as shading objects. As a result, PVsyst can accurately calculate how much shade each panel receives at any time of the year, allowing quantitative evaluation of generation loss due to shading.

Using high-precision site models in PVsyst provides the following design benefits.

• Improved accuracy of generation forecasts: By incorporating actual terrain slopes and obstacle-induced shadows, simulated annual generation predictions more closely match measured values. This avoids overly optimistic or pessimistic estimates and enables reliable planning.

• Accelerated layout optimization: Because panel placement can be examined on a detailed 3D model, multiple layout options can be compared rapidly. For example, you can simulate changes in row spacing and tilt angle and immediately see the effects on shading and generation. Adjustments to follow the terrain (terraced layouts or irregular land adaptation) are easily made in the data, enabling an optimal layout plan that balances land-use efficiency and energy yield.

• Reduction of design man-hours: Using point cloud data eliminates the need to draw terrain cross-sections or input numbers manually. Designing based on a single acquired site point cloud reduces the number of additional surveys and on-site verifications. Consequently, design time and labor costs are reduced.

Thus, importing accurate point cloud survey data into PVsyst produces significant improvements in both the quality and efficiency of power plant design. Reflecting site realities in 3D from the design stage prevents unexpected shadow issues or layout changes after construction and helps achieve the planned generation performance.

Layout Simulation and Construction Efficiency with On-site AR Visualization

Design plans refined in PVsyst can be visualized on site at full scale using AR technology. By projecting the planned panel layout onto the site on a smartphone’s screen using the coordinate system obtained with LRTK, you can recreate a virtual array of panels on an empty site. This “on-site AR visualization” makes it possible to discover minor issues that were not apparent on paper drawings.

For example, AR can be used on site to perform the following checks and support tasks:

• Pre-validate layouts: Display the planned panel layout at full scale on-site to intuitively verify there is sufficient space and appropriate spatial relationships with surrounding structures. You can visually identify points where racking height adjustments are needed for ground irregularities and quickly determine whether design changes are necessary.

• Visualize shadow conditions: Simulate the sun’s position for a specified date and time to confirm how shadows fall at specific times in AR. For example, you can visually grasp on site how far the shadow of an eastern tree extends on the winter solstice morning. This allows you to avoid layouts that would incur significant generation loss.

• Streamline stake-out work: By following AR-guided panel angles and post locations displayed on site and marking the ground accordingly, pile-driving and racking installation can be performed at precisely the designed positions. Compared to traditional stake-out with tapes and drawings, this greatly reduces positioning errors and measurement mistakes.

• Facilitate stakeholder communication and consensus: Showing landowners and construction teams an AR view of the completed panel layout helps share the plan intent and reach consensus smoothly. AR conveys scale and placement more effectively than paper drawings, reducing explanation time and preventing communication losses on site.

In this way, on-site AR visualization is more than a visual demonstration; it plays an important role as a bridge between design and construction. Experiencing the installation virtually in advance prevents rework during construction (e.g., “installation not possible here,” “drawings don’t match the site”), ultimately shortening construction time and reducing costs. Planning backed by AR and point cloud data becomes a powerful tool to carry out on-site work more reliably and quickly.

Accuracy Improvements and Efficiency Gains from LRTK Adoption

As described above, the method combining AR technology and LRTK point cloud data offers substantial advantages from planning to construction of solar panel installations. The main benefits are summarized below.

• Higher measurement and design accuracy: Based on point cloud data acquired with centimeter-level accuracy (half-inch accuracy), you can design reflecting actual terrain and obstacles. This dramatically improves the accuracy of generation forecasts and shadow analyses, minimizing the gap between planned and actual performance.

• Improved project efficiency: Because data are digitally linked across surveying, design, and construction planning stages, duplicated tasks and field verification rework are reduced. Rapid point cloud acquisition and immediate simulation speed up the design cycle and enable quick responses to design changes. Fewer issues during construction due to prior simulation reduce overall project duration and costs.

• Reduced reliance on specialized skills and improved safety: Smartphone surveying with LRTK is intuitive to operate, allowing non-experts to achieve a certain level of accuracy. In labor-short sites, one person can handle surveying and data utilization without depending on specialists. Moreover, AR visualization helps identify hazardous areas and cautions in advance, contributing to improved safety during construction.

• Smoother stakeholder consensus building: Visual information sharing via 3D models and AR helps owners, designers, and contractors form a common understanding. Misunderstandings and oversights decrease, and decision-making and approval processes proceed more smoothly.

Introducing LRTK to the field therefore goes beyond mere surveying efficiency; it directly improves and streamlines project quality. High-precision data and AR visualization enable a design and construction workflow that “yields consistent results regardless of who performs it,” which is highly valuable in modern solar power plant planning.

Conclusion: How Smartphone-only Simple Surveying Transforms Solar Design

The use of AR and LRTK to leverage high-precision point cloud data is revolutionizing the solar panel installation design process. By realistically reproducing site topography and shadow conditions and running detailed simulations in PVsyst, decisions that previously relied on experience and estimation can now be data-driven. This leads to improvements in generation forecast accuracy and reductions in design man-hours, enhancing the overall reliability and profitability of projects.

Smartphone-only simple surveying solutions like LRTK are a trump card for on-site DX. With a single smartphone, you can perform surveying, 3D modeling, and AR-based design verification, greatly simplifying tasks that previously required large equipment and specialized knowledge. Even less-experienced technicians can efficiently collect site data and immediately apply it to design by following device and app guidance. By adopting such technologies, solar power plant planning becomes faster and more precise, and they are likely to be widely used from small projects to large-scale developments in the future.

To strengthen competitiveness in the solar industry, it is important to proactively adopt the latest digital tools. By introducing on-site AR visualization and point cloud utilization technologies such as LRTK and realizing “surveying and design completed on a smartphone,” you can achieve more efficient, optimal panel layouts and reliable generation planning than ever before.