PV modification procedure for Agri-PV and ground-mounted PV: submission documents
PV modification procedure: we prepare all modification documents for agri-PV and ground-mounted plants and keep your project plannable.
During the development phase of PV projects, adjustments are sometimes required, for example because of new circumstances, technical improvements or requirements from the authorities. When changes arise, we support you competently and in a practical way and prepare all the modification documents needed. This keeps agri-PV or ground-mounted plants plannable and economically sound, even when project parameters change.
Whether a change requires a separate modification procedure depends on the federal province and on its scope. Under the provincial laws, changes to the purpose, mode of operation, scale or equipment of a plant count as substantial if they can cause greater or different hazards or nuisances. Replacing equipment of the same type, as well as maintenance and repair, do not count. In cases of doubt, the authority decides on application, by administrative decision, whether a change requires a permit. Modification documents describe what changes compared with the permitted project. The earlier it is checked what changes, the better it can be decided whether modification documents are sufficient or a partial procedure is needed.
The schedule also matters in a modification procedure. A permit can lapse if construction does not start, or is not completed, within the set deadlines; the deadlines depend on the respective decision and on provincial legislation. If a plant grows beyond the limits up to which it needed no permit, a procedure is required, for instance when, in Upper Austria, a free-standing plant exceeds the nature conservation threshold of 500 m² of collector area or, depending on its height and design, additionally triggers building-law requirements. In Lower Austria, the zoning types for ground-mounted PV on grassland are tied to maximum areas, so an enlargement may require the zoning to be adjusted. For substantial changes to a plant that needs no permit, agreement with the grid operator must be reached. If the module layout shifts, several expert reports often change at the same time, for example on visibility, glare, noise and the impact on the natural environment. In Upper Austria, a decision can be appealed to the Regional Administrative Court within four weeks. Our experts cover all the necessary disciplines, know the requirements of authorities and technical experts, and deliver meaningful assessments and recommendations for the next steps. We also build in innovative solutions for smart-grid-ready projects.
The starting point is the original permitting procedure for PV parks. If the plant cabling or the grid connection changes, this affects the electrical engineering design with grid application. The structural engineering design of the PV infrastructure also responds to changed requirements, and if the visible plant changes, an updated landscape and townscape assessment may become necessary. A changed module tilt or additional equipment can alter glare and noise; in that case the glare assessment and the operational noise assessment must be updated. For wind farms, there is the modification procedure for wind farms.
