Renewable Energy & Solar Farms

At Coastal Vegetation Management, we specialise in vegetation management for solar farms, ensuring ongoing safety and operational efficiency for large-scale renewable energy facilities. Our role is to provide tailored vegetation management solutions that reduce fire risks and ensure that solar farms continue to operate safely and efficiently year-round.

Solar farm installations often span hundreds of hectares, in remote areas like the Pilbara, where the land is cleared initially to make way for infrastructure. However, after the panels are installed, vegetation begins to regrow beneath and around them, such as grasses and shrubs. These plants grow rapidly after rainfall, thickening and drying out under the intense heat. This creates a serious fire hazard that can spread rapidly to the panels, electrical wiring, and even damage the solar infrastructure itself. A lack of regular maintenance can lead to costly damage.

Our approach to vegetation management is proactive and seasonal. We assess each solar farm's unique setup — including panel height, tilt, and layout — to deploy the right machinery for clearing under the panels and around the infrastructure. Depending on the site, we use compact, low-impact machinery that can safely navigate these sensitive areas. This work typically needs to be done every 12 to 18 months, depending on factors such as rainfall and the rate of regrowth, ensuring that the vegetation doesn’t reach a point where it poses a fire risk.

In addition to mechanical vegetation control, we sometimes incorporate weed-spraying services into our program, but only through ground-level spraying, avoiding any chemical exposure to the panels. This is done carefully and responsibly, ensuring that no herbicides come into contact with sensitive solar infrastructure.

Our team will deploy as ‘mine site ready’ ensuring full compliance with each site’s specific regulations. We are accustomed to working in remote locations and adapting to seasonal constraints and logistical challenges. We work closely with clients to ensure the safety protocols and maintenance schedules align with their operational needs.

Our solar panel cleaning services help maintain the efficiency and performance of solar farms by removing dust and debris that can reduce energy output. Using water-efficient cleaning systems, we safely clean panels without damaging sensitive infrastructure, ensuring optimal energy production. This proactive service helps extend the lifespan of solar panels while ensuring they continue to operate at peak capacity, especially in remote areas where dust accumulation can significantly impact performance.

We have purpose built equipment set-ups that suit extensive routine work patterns. We implement teams depending on the size of the farm & the optimum time frame for completion.

We provide expert vegetation management along gas pipelines to maintain clear access and ensure compliance with safety standards. By clearing vegetation around pipelines, we ensure line-of-sight visibility for pipeline markers and placards, and reduce fire risks associated with overgrown areas. Our team works efficiently to maintain access for inspections and maintenance, helping to meet regulatory requirements while safeguarding the surrounding environment and infrastructure.

When necessary we will work alongside flora and fauna teams as well as traditional landowners and groups.

At Coastal Vegetation Management, we take a holistic approach to managing vegetation on energy infrastructure sites, combining both mechanical vegetation reduction and targeted weed-spraying programs. We understand that no two projects are the same, so we assess each site’s unique needs to design a program that offers the most efficient and cost-effective solution for the client.

Our accredited commercial weed-spraying services are strategically planned to work in conjunction with mechanical methods. In some cases, a well-timed spray program can significantly reduce regrowth, cutting down the need for intensive mowing or slashing later in the year. This proactive method not only saves time but can provide a better return on investment by reducing overall costs. Conversely, if spraying alone isn't suitable due to seasonal factors like insufficient rainfall, we ensure the use of the most effective mechanical methods to manage vegetation.

As experts in herbicides and their application, we carefully select the right products to suit each environment and ensure compliance with industry standards. Our team works year-round with clients to identify opportunities for spraying that can complement mechanical works, ensuring projects are as efficient and environmentally responsible as possible. We understand the life cycle of plants and the role of targeted spraying in managing vegetation, ensuring that the approach we take will always be in the best interest of both the client and the environment.