Climate mitigation
A direct, measurable reduction in the emissions driving climate change.
Services
Engineering and supply services
Eight structural and geotechnical disciplines, photovoltaic solutions, agrivoltaic projects, and the logistics that delivers specified material to site.
Engineering disciplines
Select a discipline to explore its full scope.
The preliminary work that turns a site into a buildable, financeable plan, from the first analysis of the terrain to the signed documentation.
Site analysis
- Solar irradiance and available light
- Shading analysis to locate shaded zones
- Orientation (azimuth) and tilt for optimal exposure
- Area available for the installation
Load analysis
Determining the site's energy requirements, from historical consumption or projected demand, to size the PV system correctly.
Sizing
- System capacity in kilowatts or megawatts
- Number of modules required
- Inverter and storage sizing
Components and electrical
- Modules selected for efficiency, durability and cost
- Inverter type and mounting structures
- DC and AC wiring to electrical code
- Protection and metering systems
Financial analysis
- Equipment, installation and maintenance costs
- Payback period and return on investment
- Incentives, tax credits and rebates
Documentation and support
- Engineering drawings and technical specifications
- Operation and maintenance manuals
- Site supervision, commissioning and training
Determining the structural design parameters of a photovoltaic installation and the wind and seismic load reports derived from them.
Wind load
- Loads from local wind speed, topography and height
- Exposure category and directionality
- Applied to ASCE 7 and Eurocode
Seismic load
- Seismic hazard from local activity and geotechnical data
- Loads specific to soil type and seismic zone
- Compliance with IBC and Eurocode 8
Structural analysis
- Verification against the calculated loads
- Finite element modelling and analysis
- Dynamic wind and seismic effects
Foundations and support
- Foundations sized to bearing capacity and settlement
- Footing or pile selection according to the soil
- Support assessed for strength, corrosion and stability
Reports and compliance
- Comprehensive design load reports
- Compliance with local codes and standards
- Documentation for permits and third-party review
Assurance
- Risks, safety factors and redundancy
- Peer review and calculation verification
- Long-term monitoring recommendations
Assessment of the wind forces that can act on a photovoltaic system at a particular location, using the wind data the structure will face on that terrain.
Site data
- Historical speed and direction from nearby stations
- Terrain mapping and obstacles affecting flow
- Exposure category: open, suburban or urban
Code review
Relevant national and international codes (ASCE 7, Eurocode) alongside local building requirements.
Load calculation
- Basic wind speed for the site
- Gust factors and dynamic effects
- Pressure coefficients by geometry
- Exposure coefficient for the surroundings
Wind tunnel
Scale-model testing where complex projects or highly variable wind conditions justify it.
Structural response
- System assessment under the calculated loads
- Identification of critical points requiring reinforcement
Report and recommendations
- Full study with methodology, results and diagrams
- Recommendations on support, orientation and anchoring
- Compliance verification and ongoing monitoring
Assessment of the ground motion and seismic forces a photovoltaic system may experience at its location, to size the array against those conditions.
Site data
- Seismic hazard, faults and ground motion records
- Soil and geotechnical properties, including liquefaction potential
- Topography and its influence on seismic behaviour
Code review
National and international seismic codes (IBC, Eurocode 8) with local building requirements.
Load calculation
- Site parameters: PGA, spectral acceleration, design category
- Seismic coefficients by configuration and damping
- Design seismic motion, horizontal and vertical
Structural response
- System assessed against the calculated loads
- Dynamic analysis and modelling
- Assessment of possible failure modes
Foundations and support
- Foundations designed for stability under seismic load
- Support detailed to accommodate movement
Report and recommendations
- Study with response spectra and base shear
- Recommendations on reinforcement and connections
- Compliance verification and ongoing monitoring
Analysis and design of the tables, foundations and connections that carry the modules and keep them stable, durable and correctly oriented under the site's loads.
Site assessment
- Topographic survey of terrain and obstacles
- Geotechnical analysis for bearing capacity, erosion and settlement
Environmental loads
- Site-specific wind analysis
- Seismic assessment for the region
- Snow and ice loads where the climate requires it
Design requirements
- Material selection for strength and corrosion resistance
- Design to ASCE 7 and Eurocode
Load calculations
- Dead loads: modules, structure and equipment
- Live loads: personnel and maintenance equipment
- Combined wind, seismic and snow/ice loads
Structure design
- Mounting systems for correct tilt and orientation
- Foundation: footings, ground screws or piles
- Connection detailing for overall integrity
Optimisation
- Cost, material and installation efficiency
- Modular, scalable designs for future expansion
- Peer review and on-site support
The comprehensive document demonstrating a project's structural integrity and safety, prepared and stamped by a licensed engineer.
Project description
- Description, purpose, location and size of the structure
- Criteria and assumptions: dead, live, wind and seismic loads
- Material properties and environmental conditions
Structural analysis
- Methodology: finite element or hand calculation
- Load calculations and their distribution
- Models with load paths and critical points
Design calculations
- Beams, columns, slabs, foundations and connections
- Reinforcement and connection detailing
- Code compliance checks
Material specifications
- Steel grades, concrete types and properties
- Quality control during construction
Drawings and diagrams
- Structural drawings with dimensions and reinforcement
- Load path diagrams down to the foundation
Review and signature
- Stamp and signature of the licensed engineer
- Independent peer review where applicable
- References, appendices and supporting data
On-site testing of anchoring structures across soil types. Profiles are driven into the ground and simulated service loads applied, to measure displacement and obtain the actual bearing capacity.
Equipment and personnel
High-precision measuring equipment and specialist technical personnel, applied to optimising the design and installation of photovoltaic systems.
What it delivers
The measured bearing capacity and mechanical performance of the pile in the site's soil, to compare against the values assumed in design.
Assessment, instrumentation and monitoring of the steel structures of a photovoltaic plant. Non-invasive studies on piles and metal structures detect tilt, deformation, vibration and corrosion.
Scope
- Structural monitoring with sensors and platforms for real-time structural condition
- Assessment of steel pile tilt against the vertical
- Field vibration testing to identify natural frequencies and dynamic response
- Instrumentation and supporting analysis for Pull Out Tests
- Early detection of anomalies: excessive tilt, deformation or corrosion
- Technical input for preventive and corrective maintenance
What it is for
It validates in the field what was predicted during design and reduces structural risk across the plant's service life.
Code coverage
We review, validate and develop the calculation tools behind structural design. Our work covers calculation review against local codes, development of spreadsheets for the design and review of steel elements in IR and OC profiles, and the assessment of elements subject to bending, compression, shear, combined bending-compression and bending-torsion. We apply design criteria by strength, by load and resistance factors, and by allowable strength.
ASCE 7Wind and seismic loads, United States
IBCInternational Building Code, seismic design
EC / EC8Eurocode and Eurocode 8
6 countriesLocal codes: Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Argentina and the United States
Photovoltaic solutions
Renewable energy has become essential to sustainable development. By harnessing wind, water and sunlight, society can grow while protecting the planet for the generations that follow.
Advantages of renewable generation
Lower costs
Falling generation costs that make clean energy increasingly competitive.
Energy security
Greater independence and less reliance on imported fossil fuels.
Net-Zero aligned
In step with global sustainability policy and the path to zero emissions.
Solar radiation and utility scale
Building solar farms at large scale has amplified the impact of solar radiation worldwide, turning sunlight into a utility-scale generation source.
2,700trees planted per year: the equivalent of a single megawatt of solar energy
2,500 MWthe scale of the largest solar farms already built, on a single site
~2,000homes supplied with clean energy by just 10 MW of solar capacity
Applications of photovoltaic systems
Photovoltaic systems divide into off-grid and grid-connected installations, and serve a wide range of uses, on Earth and beyond it.
| Category | Applications |
|---|---|
| Aerospace | Satellites and the International Space Station |
| Ground-based | Telecommunications infrastructure · Electrification of rural and remote areas · Street lighting and water pumping |
| Utility scale | Photovoltaic power plants · Solar farms · Photovoltaic buildings |
Elements of a photovoltaic installation
Photovoltaic module
Connected, encapsulated solar cells that convert the photons of solar radiation directly into electrical energy.
Charge controller
Manages the charge and discharge process, protecting the installation from damage across its service life.
Energy storage
Batteries convert and store the electricity generated by the panels, and deliver it for consumption when it is needed.
Solar farms
Solar farms use hundreds of thousands of panels to produce direct current, which inverters convert to alternating current for consumption. According to IRENA, more than 20 GW of photovoltaic capacity was installed in Latin America in 2024 alone, 4.4% of the global total, with close to 10,000 solar farms operating today across 148 countries. The region combines one of the best solar resources on the planet with some of the most demanding terrain and seismic conditions.
Studies before construction
| Study | Scope |
|---|---|
| Steel profile sizing | Using the data from preliminary studies to determine the grade, length and dimensions of the steel, accounting for corrosion, dead load, live load, wind load and seismic conditions. |
| Geotechnical studies | Determining the soil properties at the site where the steel profiles carrying the modules will be driven. |
| Hydrological studies | Assessing precipitation levels to guide site preparation and prevent water erosion on site. |
| Wind studies | Gathering gust data to guide correct sizing of the support profiles. |
| Pull Out Tests (POT) | Carried out on site, driving profiles into the ground and applying simulated service loads to measure displacement and verify performance. |
Agrivoltaic projects
Solar generation and agricultural production on the same land.
The agrivoltaic model
Agrivoltaics combines solar generation and agricultural production on one site, so that both activities coexist and reinforce one another.
At Vektro Energy we design agrivoltaic projects addressing every variable, solar, agronomic, structural, electrical, environmental and financial, before committing investment to detailed engineering.
Six-stage methodology
1
Pre-feasibility study
We analyse terrain, climate and water availability to determine whether a site has real agrivoltaic potential, before investing in detailed engineering.
2
Definition of the agrivoltaic model
We design the coexistence between the solar installation and the crops: crop selection, structure height and orientation, and shading simulations balancing energy against agricultural productivity.
3
Electrical and photovoltaic design
We optimise generation within the agrivoltaic context: string and inverter design, protection equipment and monitoring systems.
4
Structural and civil design
We select and size the supporting infrastructure: foundations, profiles, access roads and drainage, accounting for wind and seismic loads and the soil conditions on site.
5
Environmental and regulatory study
We verify compliance with the environmental regulations in force, including impact assessments, carbon footprint analysis and permits.
6
Economic and financial assessment
We close with CAPEX and OPEX analysis, energy and agriculture scenario simulation, and the business model supporting the decision.
Agrivoltaic services
Solar and agronomic assessment
We assess whether a site suits an agrivoltaic system, analysing solar potential, soil conditions and topography. It delivers a viability rating of high, medium or low, the risks identified, and recommendations for the following stages.
Preliminary agrivoltaic design
We propose an initial configuration of panels and crops optimising available space, solar radiation and agricultural yield, with 2D/3D modelling, crop selection and a preliminary estimate of energy and agricultural output.
Techno-economic assessment
We integrate the electrical, structural and agricultural design into a complete technical proposal, validated against the codes in force, with financial analysis of IRR, NPV and payback period.
Multidisciplinary team
Our engineering team combines experience in solar energy, structural design, geotechnical studies and agronomy, backed by first-rate simulation tools.
We stay with each project from initial assessment through to final financial evaluation, with technical reports that support decision-making at every stage.
Logistics and supply
We manage the procurement, importation, transport and delivery of the material and equipment a renewable energy project needs, working from the specification our own structural engineering issues.
Continuity between specification and site
A calculation report specifies a steel grade, a length and a corrosion coating. When that specification passes from the engineering firm to the buyer, from the buyer to the distributor and from the distributor to site, it gets substituted for whatever was available and approximated.
At Vektro Energy the same organisation that defined the requirement procures it, imports it and delivers it, and answers for both parts.
Supply services
Procurement and supply chain management
We translate the technical specification into an executable purchase order: identification of qualified suppliers, technical and commercial comparison, negotiation, fabrication tracking and lead-time control against the project schedule.
Importation, exportation and clearance
We manage the import and export of technology, equipment and materials for renewable energy projects, including documentation, classification, customs clearance and coordination of international transit into Mexico and Latin America.
Equipment purchase, sale and leasing
Purchase, sale and leasing of specialist tools and equipment for the renewable sector, including the testing and measuring equipment field studies require. Leasing covers one-off needs without tying up capital.
Commercial representation of manufacturers
We represent international manufacturers operationally and commercially as they enter or grow in the Latin American market, providing a local network, ongoing technical support and on-site presence.
Operation, repair and maintenance
Operation, repair and maintenance of specialist equipment and spare parts, with preventive and corrective programmes at generation facilities.
Specialist labour
Supply of qualified technical personnel for the stages that require it: pile-driving crews, instrumentation, field testing and site supervision, to the safety standards the operation demands.
Supply method
01
Specification
The requirement comes from the structural calculation report.
02
Qualification
Suppliers assessed on their technical capacity to meet the specification.
03
Traceability
Documented tracking of every line item, from order to receipt on site.
04
Compliance
Customs documentation, material certificates and traceability for audit.
05
Closeout
On-site check of what was delivered against what was specified.