Solar PV Design Drawings: What Should Be Included in a Complete IFC Drawing Package?
A complete solar PV IFC drawing package covers general arrangement, PV layout, stringing, electrical, earthing and lightning, structural, foundation, civil, communication and safety drawings, each with the information a construction team needs to build without guessing. The drawings must agree with each other, with the schedules and with the design basis. This article organizes the package by discipline and ends with a drawing issue checklist.
General and layout drawings
General arrangement and site plan. Shows the boundary, coordinates, access points, major areas, setbacks and north. It lets the site team set out the plant and confirm land limits.
PV layout. Shows table positions, row spacing, blocks, equipment and road alignments. It must match the yield model and the structural drawings. Construction uses it for setting out piles and tables.
Stringing layout. Shows string groupings, string IDs and inverter or combiner allocation. It tells installers which modules belong to which string and where each string terminates.
Electrical drawings
Single-line diagram. Shows the electrical connectivity, ratings, protection and metering from strings to grid. It is the reference for procurement, testing and commissioning.
Inverter and transformer layout. Shows equipment positions, clearances, foundations, cable entries and access. Site teams use it to place foundations and plan cable terminations.
DC, AC and MV cable routing. Shows routes, trench sections, crossings and entry points. Cable lengths on these drawings should match the cable schedule.
Cable schedule. Lists every cable by tag, from, to, size, type, length and route. It drives purchasing and installation.
Cable trench and tray details. Show trench depth, bedding, separation of cable types, markers, covers and crossings under roads and drains.
Earthing layout and details. Show the earth grid, risers, connections to equipment and structures, test pits and bonding. They tell the earthing crew what to install and how to test.
Lightning protection layout. Shows air terminals, down conductors, earthing connections and surge protection positions.
Substation and control room drawings. Show equipment arrangement, cable entries, panels, ventilation and fire provisions as required by the specification.
Metering and protection schematics. Show CT and PT connections, relay wiring principles and revenue meter interfaces.
Structural and foundation drawings
Mounting structure (MMS) drawings. Show table geometry, member sizes, connection details, tolerances, coatings and installation notes. They must match the final structural report.
Pile or foundation layout and details. Show pile type, embedment, top level, tolerance and testing requirements, with positions tied to the PV layout coordinates.
Equipment foundation drawings. Show pads and bases for inverters, transformers, switchgear, control building, and the position of anchor bolts and cable openings.
Civil drawings
Grading and levels. Show existing and finished levels, cut and fill areas, slopes and erosion control.
Roads. Show alignments, widths, turning radii, cross-sections, surfacing and crossings.
Drainage. Show drains, culverts, outfalls, invert levels and flow directions, aligned with road and trench drawings.
Fencing and gates. Show perimeter alignment, type, gate positions and security elements.
SCADA, communication and safety drawings
SCADA architecture. Shows devices, networks, protocols, redundancy and interfaces to the utility or control center.
Communication cable routing. Shows fiber or copper routes, junctions and separation from power cables.
Signage and safety plan. Shows warning, information and emergency signs, labelling and isolation points.
As-built requirements
The package should state what as-built information is required: marked-up drawings from site, final cable lengths, test records and equipment serial numbers where specified. The commissioning documentation should follow the contract and relevant standards such as IEC 62446-1 for grid-connected PV systems.
Cross-checks between drawings
Before issue, check:
Check | Drawings involved |
|---|---|
Module count and geometry match | PV layout, stringing, structural, yield model |
String counts per inverter match | Stringing, SLD, cable schedule |
Cable lengths match | Routing drawings and cable schedule |
Pile positions match layout coordinates | Foundation layout, PV layout |
Equipment dimensions fit pads | Equipment layout, foundation drawings, vendor data |
Finished levels agree | Grading, drainage, roads, equipment foundations, trenches |
Earthing connections match equipment | Earthing layout, structural, electrical |
Drainage avoids conflicts | Drainage, trench, pile and road drawings |
Specification references current | All drawings and the design basis |
Use overlays in a common coordinate system, so clashes are visible rather than inferred.
Drawing issue checklist
Before a drawing is issued, confirm it includes:
• ☐ Title block with project, client, title, number, revision, date and status.
• ☐ Revision table with a clear description of each change.
• ☐ Scale (and graphic scale for printing), north arrow and coordinate reference.
• ☐ Levels with a stated datum.
• ☐ Legend, abbreviations and symbols.
• ☐ General notes and construction notes.
• ☐ References to related drawings, calculations and specifications.
• ☐ Design basis or code references where relevant.
• ☐ Author, checker and approver identification as per project procedure.
• ☐ Registration in the drawing register and a transmittal to recipients.
Common mistakes
• Issuing IFC drawings while the yield model still uses a different layout.
• Leaving out trench crossings and culverts.
• Using different coordinate systems across disciplines.
• Missing notes on tolerances and testing.
• Forgetting to withdraw superseded drawings from site.
• Relying on vendor drawings that are not yet approved.
When to involve a specialist
A specialist team can prepare or review IFC packages, especially when schedules are tight or multiple parties are involved. Solyug Energy provides solar design consultancy and utility-scale solar projects support and publishes more guides in the resource center.
Standards and references
• IEC 62446-1: documentation and commissioning tests for grid-connected PV systems.
• IEC 62548: PV array design requirements.
• Client drawing standards, project specification and utility requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does IFC mean in solar drawings?
Issued for Construction. The drawing is approved for use on site and is under revision control.
Which drawings are essential for a solar IFC package?
General arrangement, PV layout, stringing, SLD, cable routing and schedule, earthing, structural and foundation, civil, SCADA and safety drawings, plus equipment details.
How do you avoid conflicts between drawings?
Use a shared coordinate system, overlay disciplines in a coordination review, and keep a single drawing register.
Can drawings be issued in stages?
Yes. Packages are often released in phases, such as civil first, then structural and electrical, as long as each IFC package is internally consistent and clearly identified.
What are as-built drawings?
Drawings revised to show what was actually installed, including changes made on site.
Who approves IFC drawings?
Typically, the EPC’s discipline leads and design manager, and the owner’s engineer or client where required by the contract.