A solar project development PMO maintains the master schedule, budget, decision log, risk register and document tracker. It coordinates advisers and counterparties without replacing the engineer, lawyer, environmental consultant or financing institution.
When Sponsors Need PMO Support
PMO support becomes valuable once a project has several parallel workstreams and missed dependencies can delay financing or construction. Common pressure points include:
- Unclear responsibility for permits, studies and contract deliverables
- Interconnection milestones that conflict with the financing schedule
- EPC procurement starting before technical requirements are settled
- Development costs exceeding the sponsor-approved budget
- Lenders receiving inconsistent or outdated project information
Typical PMO Mandate
- Integrated development schedule and critical-path analysis
- Weekly workstream reporting and decision tracking
- Development budget and committed-cost monitoring
- Permit, interconnection and adviser deliverables register
- EPC, O&M and equipment procurement coordination
- Document control through notice to proceed or financial close
Established Solar Project Management Providers
DNV provides solar owner’s engineering covering RFP development, site optimization, design review, construction monitoring, inspections and commissioning support.
AFRY combines owner’s engineering with project management, procurement monitoring, construction supervision and commissioning support for utility-scale solar developments.
Provider selection should account for jurisdictional experience, comparable project capacity, grid requirements, construction-stage resources and the division between commercial PMO and licensed engineering responsibilities.
About the Providers
About DNV
DNV is an independent assurance and risk-management organization with dedicated solar and energy-storage advisory capabilities. Its solar owner’s engineering work can extend from early RFP preparation and site optimization through design review, factory inspection, construction monitoring, commissioning and warranty support.
This breadth is relevant for sponsors requiring one technical adviser across development and construction. DNV has documented owner’s engineering assignments where EPC review and compliance work supported project bankability and lender engagement.
About AFRY
AFRY is an international engineering, design and advisory company active across power generation, transmission and renewable energy. Its solar practice provides owner’s engineer, lender’s engineer, project-management and construction-supervision services.
AFRY’s work on the 257 MWp Hoa Hoi solar plant in Vietnam included engineering review, project management, procurement monitoring, construction supervision and commissioning oversight. This experience is relevant to independent sponsors seeking coordinated technical and execution support for utility-scale projects.
Discuss Your Solar Project
Review each provider’s capabilities and contact the firm suited to your project’s development stage and technical requirements.