Communications and ICT for solar PV plants
We take on site connectivity, plant communications and managed IT for solar photovoltaic (PV) plants. We built the wireless for ENGIE Solar’s cleaning robots in Saudi Arabia.
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Wireless across a panel array, for cleaning robots
At ENGIE Solar’s 30 MW solar PV plant at Nadec City, we built the outdoor wireless network for the plant’s automated panel-cleaning robots. We delivered it for ENGIE in 2021–2022.
Scope:
- Radio-frequency (RF) planning for the geometry of the panel arrays
- Ruggedized outdoor access points
- An operational technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity layer
- Integration with the automated cleaning robots
What it shows: we can plan radio coverage around the layout of a panel array, install outdoor wireless equipment ruggedized for the site and integrate OT devices such as cleaning robots over their own connectivity layer. The same approach can serve other OT and IoT devices across the plant.
How our services apply to a solar PV plant
A solar PV plant goes through the same phases as a wind farm. The table shows where we have done each part.
| Phase | What the plant needs | Our service | Where we have done it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction site | Connectivity for the temporary site facilities (TSF): a mast and licensed microwave link, and separate networks for the owner, the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, subcontractors and visitors. In Egypt, also the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and military approvals | Site Mobilization | 6 wind farm projects in Egypt |
| Substation and plant | The plant network and unified communications at the substation and plant buildings; outdoor wireless across the plant for OT and IoT devices such as cleaning robots | Plant Communications | ENGIE Solar, Nadec City (outdoor wireless); Suez Wind Energy (telephony and video conferencing, in delivery in 2026) |
| Operations | A service desk under a service level agreement (SLA), identity and access, cybersecurity and the ICT services the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system depends on | Managed IT Services | ENGIE’s companies in Egypt since 2018 |
| Design and review | RF planning, reviews of EPC ICT designs and audits against group technology standards | ICT Advisory | ENGIE Solar, Nadec City (RF planning); Ras Ghareb Wind Energy and Shokeir Wind Energy (EPC reviews) |
- Phase
- Construction site
- What the plant needs
- Connectivity for the temporary site facilities (TSF): a mast and licensed microwave link, and separate networks for the owner, the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, subcontractors and visitors. In Egypt, also the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and military approvals
- Our service
- Site Mobilization
- Where we have done it
- 6 wind farm projects in Egypt
- Phase
- Substation and plant
- What the plant needs
- The plant network and unified communications at the substation and plant buildings; outdoor wireless across the plant for OT and IoT devices such as cleaning robots
- Our service
- Plant Communications
- Where we have done it
- ENGIE Solar, Nadec City (outdoor wireless); Suez Wind Energy (telephony and video conferencing, in delivery in 2026)
- Phase
- Operations
- What the plant needs
- A service desk under a service level agreement (SLA), identity and access, cybersecurity and the ICT services the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system depends on
- Our service
- Managed IT Services
- Where we have done it
- ENGIE’s companies in Egypt since 2018
- Phase
- Design and review
- What the plant needs
- RF planning, reviews of EPC ICT designs and audits against group technology standards
- Our service
- ICT Advisory
- Where we have done it
- ENGIE Solar, Nadec City (RF planning); Ras Ghareb Wind Energy and Shokeir Wind Energy (EPC reviews)
Hybrid plants with battery storage
A hybrid plant puts battery energy storage, and sometimes wind turbines, on the same site as the solar PV plant. More parties then need access to one site network: the owner, the EPC contractor, equipment suppliers and visitors.
We separate them the way we do on our wind farm sites. Each party gets its own network segment, with its own wireless network and bandwidth limit. Equipment suppliers get separate, controlled remote access.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you take on solar PV projects?
In Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Our solar project to date is ENGIE Solar’s 30 MW plant at Nadec City, Saudi Arabia.
Have you worked on a solar PV plant in Egypt?
Not yet. Our projects in Egypt are wind farms on the Gulf of Suez. The construction-phase and operations work on this page draws on them, as the table above shows.
Can you connect automated cleaning robots?
Yes. At ENGIE Solar’s plant at Nadec City we planned and built the outdoor wireless network and the OT and IoT connectivity layer for the automated cleaning robots.
Do you support the SCADA system?
We provide the ICT services the SCADA system depends on: networks, connectivity, access and IT support.
Tell us about your solar PV plant
Send the location, the stage of the project and what you need.
Discuss your solar plantWe reply within one working day.
References are available on request, subject to client agreement. See our credentials.