SMART ENERGY WEEK: Latest Solutions for Streamlining As‑built Surveys of Renewable Energy Sites

Accurate on-site understanding is essential during the planning stage of renewable energy projects. Survey data that accounts for land elevation differences and topography form the foundation of initial studies such as solar plant layout design and wind turbine foundation planning. However, conventional surveying methods have required large crews and bulky equipment, incurred high costs, and demanded many working days to ensure accuracy. New solutions that eliminate these bottlenecks and dramatically improve the efficiency of as‑built surveys for renewable energy sites are attracting attention.

Transformation in the Energy Industry and the New Role of Surveying — Trends Seen at SMART ENERGY WEEK

At SMART ENERGY WEEK, one of the world’s largest new energy trade shows, cutting‑edge technologies aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 gather under one roof — from hydrogen energy to solar and wind power, energy storage, and smart grids. The digital transformation (DX) in renewable energy is affecting not only power generation equipment but also planning and construction processes. With the increase in large‑scale projects, the speed and accuracy required for site selection and design have risen, and the role of surveying is shifting from a mere preliminary task to a critical factor that can determine project success.

Recently, there has been active movement toward digitizing on‑site topographic data for use in design and simulation. Survey data are now used to consider optimal equipment placement and to predict environmental impacts of earthworks, so surveying is evolving from simple “measurement” to a foundation for value creation. SMART ENERGY WEEK showcased trends such as digital twins and construction DX and discussed efficient site management enabled by the latest technologies. Here we focus on as‑built land surveys that support renewable energy projects, examining potential challenges and the solutions that address them.

Challenges Faced in Surveying Vast Renewable Energy Sites

Renewable energy site locations vary widely — from mountainous wind farm candidate sites to large undeveloped tracts planned for solar parks, or biomass facilities installed after clearing forests. Conducting as‑built surveys in these wide and often undeveloped areas involves several practical challenges:

• Topographic and environmental constraints: In highly undulating terrain or densely wooded areas, it can be difficult to set up survey equipment or secure lines of sight. In forests, simply moving between survey points is strenuous, and working on steep slopes raises safety risks. Adverse weather can further worsen footing and delay planned surveys. Attempting to survey a large site in detail historically required meticulous planning and preparation to avoid missed measurements and measurement errors.

• Unstable communications and positioning environment: Remote or mountainous locations may lack the communications infrastructure needed for GNSS (satellite positioning) reception. Even if one wants to use network RTK positioning, cellular signals may be unavailable and real‑time correction data cannot be received. Under tree canopies or in valleys, satellite signal reception itself may be unstable, degrading GNSS positioning accuracy. Traditionally, this has required time‑consuming measures such as deploying a local base station on site.

• Labor shortages and workload: Surveying requires skilled surveyors and technicians, but the construction industry is facing severe labor shortages. Surveying a large area in a short time requires multiple team members; in conventional workflows one person operates a transit or GNSS receiver while others carry prisms and stand at points, making personnel coordination difficult. With limited staff, repeated movement and equipment setup limit the daily coverage and increase physical burden.

• Cost–accuracy tradeoffs: Survey costs are also a challenge. If you cannot afford expensive high‑precision equipment or outsourced drone surveys, relying on simplified methods risks sacrificing accuracy. Conversely, prioritizing accuracy tends to inflate labor and equipment costs. Using minimal initial data to cut early costs can lead to design changes or additional construction later, ultimately increasing total project cost.

These challenges have made as‑built surveys in the early phases of renewable energy projects a bottleneck that is time‑consuming, labor‑intensive, and costly. In recent years, however, new technologies have been introduced to the surveying field to break this situation.

Labor‑saving, High‑speed Surveying Enabled by GNSS Technology and Smart Devices

Technological innovation has produced new tools that improve surveying efficiency. Especially key are advances in GNSS positioning technology and the use of smart devices. Tasks that once required fixed, high‑precision GNSS receivers or large tripod‑mounted survey instruments can now be performed with palm‑sized devices and smartphones. Let’s look at labor‑saving, high‑speed surveying methods made possible by the latest solutions.

In GNSS, multi‑constellation positioning and receivers that support multiple frequencies — for example GPS L1 plus L5 — are becoming common. This allows acquisition of more satellite signals even in environments with poor visibility, enabling stable centimeter‑class positioning (cm level accuracy, half-inch accuracy). In Japan, sub‑centimeter augmentation signals using the Quasi‑Zenith Satellite System (QZSS, “Michibiki”) and nationwide reference station networks for network RTK services are being established, creating an environment in which high‑precision real‑time positioning is possible without placing a base station on site.

Next is the evolution of smart devices that leverage high‑precision GNSS positioning. Modern smartphones and tablets now include high‑performance cameras and LiDAR sensors that can scan the surrounding environment in three dimensions. By combining a small, high‑precision GNSS receiver with such a smartphone, 3D surveying that previously required dedicated equipment can now be performed with very simple procedures. By launching a dedicated app and walking around the area to be measured, the phone’s built‑in sensors acquire point cloud data while GNSS immediately provides coordinates. Even complex terrain can be converted into a detailed digital terrain model in a short time.

These smart surveying devices are designed to enable one‑person operation. Intuitive apps allow technicians without extensive surveying expertise to start positioning and scanning with a single button, and current location coordinates and acquisition coverage are visualized on the screen in real time. Acquired data are automatically processed on the spot and can be shared instantly with office staff via the cloud. This makes field‑to‑office collaboration seamless, allowing designers to review and provide feedback on data immediately after collection.

In other words, by combining the precision of GNSS with the convenience of smart devices, a path has opened to perform as‑built surveys “quickly, with fewer people, and with high accuracy.” Cases have emerged where terrain surveys of large sites that once took days can be completed in hours or, in some cases, minutes using the latest technologies. The next section focuses on a specific solution called LRTK, examining its use cases and implementation benefits.

Centimeter‑level On‑site Surveying with LRTK — Examples and Effects

One of the next‑generation surveying solutions, LRTK, enables on‑site centimeter‑level surveying. LRTK is a system composed of an ultra‑compact RTK‑GNSS receiver that attaches to a smartphone and a dedicated app; with this single setup you can perform positioning, point cloud measurement, photography, and even AR composite visualization — a truly all‑in‑one surveying tool. Weighing a few hundred grams, the device fits in a pocket; attach it to a smartphone when needed and it instantly becomes a high‑precision surveying instrument. Its ease of use—no complicated equipment setup on site and the ability to take measurements whenever desired—is a major advantage.

LRTK’s greatest strength is its on‑site completeness. Positioning data are processed on the smartphone immediately, and a 3D point cloud model with coordinates accurate to the centimeter level can be generated on site. For example, even on a planned earthwork site with large elevation differences, you can create a detailed terrain model simply by walking and scanning the area you want to measure. Even on a vast site that includes a steep slope with an elevation difference of 30 m (98.4 ft), data acquisition can be completed with a scan of about one minute, and it is possible to achieve astonishing accuracy such as an error of less than 2 cm (cm level accuracy, half-inch accuracy). Tasks that previously required survey teams working for days and further office processing and drafting can be completed quickly on site with LRTK, and the data can be immediately put to use in design.

Expected use cases:

• Topographic survey for a planned solar power site: Even for a 10‑hectare candidate site for solar panel installation, LRTK allows a single person to quickly create elevation maps and measure site boundaries. Because measurements are taken by walking the site, even areas overgrown with weeds or low shrubs can be captured in detail. From the acquired data, terrain models for solar irradiation simulations can be generated immediately and reflected in layout design.

• Surveying wind power sites in mountainous areas: In mountain locations where vehicles cannot reach, portable LRTK equipment eliminates the need to carry heavy survey instruments on foot. With light gear you can advance along rugged ridgelines and quickly and safely acquire terrain cross‑section data needed for turbine foundation locations and access road planning. Although GNSS may be unstable in obstructed valleys, averaging positioning functions can obtain stable coordinates and ensure required accuracy.

• As‑built surveys in forests and undeveloped land: LRTK is suitable for surveying sites planned for biomass power plants where forest clearing is involved. Surface features obscured from aerial photography by tree cover can be directly measured by walking between trees with LRTK. This reduces the preparatory work that used to be required—such as tree felling or clearing survey lines—and helps lower environmental impact.

Main benefits of adoption:

• Dramatic reduction in work time: Because 3D surveying can be completed on site immediately, even large areas can be surveyed in a fraction of the time compared to conventional methods. In some cases, tasks can be completed in less than one‑tenth of the time, directly shortening project lead times.

• Reduction in personnel and costs: Because one person can operate the system, labor and travel costs associated with traditional survey teams can be reduced. The need to arrange for specialized heavy equipment or large drones is eliminated, lowering the initial investigation cost burden.

• Improved quality through high‑precision data: Centimeter‑level point cloud data improve the accuracy of design and construction planning. Subtle slope changes and surface irregularities can be captured, enabling more reliable earthwork volume calculations and drainage planning. Using high‑accuracy data at an early stage reduces rework and unexpected ground issues later.

• Safety and environmental benefits: One‑person operation with lightweight equipment improves safety for surveys in hazardous locations. It reduces the need to transport heavy machinery on unstable slopes or to have multiple personnel working at heights, lowering accident risk. Efficient surveying with minimal personnel also reduces long‑term engine equipment use, thereby limiting noise and exhaust impacts on the surrounding environment.

• Immediate data utilization: Data acquired with LRTK can be uploaded to the cloud on the spot, allowing design staff in the office to review in real time. They can immediately instruct additional measurements or supplementary photography as needed. Data can be output in formats compatible with CAD and other systems, enabling designers to load the survey results and begin drafting and simulation right away. The wasted waiting time that used to occur while awaiting survey results is eliminated, improving overall project efficiency.

In this way, LRTK and other state‑of‑the‑art smart surveying solutions are bringing revolutionary efficiency and sophistication to as‑built surveys for renewable energy sites.

Conclusion: Expanding Possibilities of Smart Surveying

As renewable energy projects expand, surveying is also undergoing a major shift. The wave of technological innovation reflected by SMART ENERGY WEEK is reaching field surveying methods, and solutions like LRTK are one example. Overcoming traditional challenges such as labor shortages and inefficient work practices and enabling anyone to acquire high‑accuracy topographic data in a short time will dramatically accelerate renewable energy project startups.

Moreover, the application range of smart surveying technology is not limited to the initial land development phase. It can be applied to periodic maintenance of installed power facilities, environmental monitoring inside and outside sites, and inspection of related infrastructure such as transmission lines and substations. For example, ongoing scanning of solar panel sites can detect signs of ground subsidence or erosion; regular topographic measurements around wind turbines can support maintenance planning. For transmission line patrols, AR techniques using GNSS from the ground could enable checking pole positions and inter‑wire distances and identifying anomalies.

Smart surveying can thus play an active role across the lifecycle of renewable energy projects, from planning and construction to operation and maintenance. As the introduction of renewables expands and decarbonization progresses, DX and labor savings in field operations are unavoidable themes. Solutions that leverage cutting‑edge positioning technologies and devices will become increasingly important. By pursuing the latest solutions that support renewable energy projects from the perspective of land surveying efficiency, we can more strongly forge a path toward a sustainable energy society.