At Standard Solar, we believe that execution is the ultimate differentiator in the clean energy market. While we bring decades of expertise to developing, financing, owning, and operating solar assets, we know that getting a project over the finish line requires deep collaboration and aligned standards with our EPC partners and industry peers.

To highlight the operational discipline required in today’s landscape, we asked experts from Brightcore and EDF Power Solutions to share their perspectives on a critical question.

FAQ: What’s one field-level decision or practice that has the biggest impact on a project’s success—and is often overlooked?

 

Stan Tolstunov, Senior Vice President of Solar, Brightcore: “This may sound cliché, but I firmly believe ongoing quality control is one of the most powerful tools in rooftop solar success. Solar installation is highly repetitive and that means a single mistake, if unchecked, can quickly multiply across the project and cause costly delays right before energization.

For example, in our process we ensure all wire terminations are handled by the same dedicated crew for consistency, and we apply the same principle to other key installation tasks. This reduces variability, improves reliability, and keeps the schedule on track.

It’s also critical to have an experienced site supervisor serving as a second set of eyes—catching small issues before they become big ones. Whether the work is in-house or subcontracted, the mindset is the same: we are all on the same team with the same goal—a safe, high-quality, on-time project.”

Rod Viens, General Manager, EDF Power Solutions: “At EDF power solutions, we take a holistic approach to projects where we provide EPC services to partners. We have deep roots as both a developer and a pure EPC provider. Leaning on our development experience, we can lend an extra set of eyes and due diligence on land entitlements and interconnection agreements that come with an EPC contract commitment and thus ensures a smooth transition from a development group to our EPC team to align project goals.

Once our EPC team has a firm understanding of the project and contract terms, we embark on finalizing the design based on owner specifications and initiate our internal EPC processes. These processes encompass internal resource planning, project initiation, Procore setup, quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC), safety protocols and work instructions that guide construction and site management.

We believe that the efforts we have invested in the process creation and improvement over the last several years is paying dividends as we continue to scale our EPC service business. Our project teams have a comprehensive view of each project, and teams are coordinated from the outset through closeout, allowing our group to deliver exceptional value for our partners.”

The Standard Solar Perspective

Building resilient solar infrastructure means leaving nothing to chance in the field. As Stan and Rod point out, maintaining rigorous quality control and implementing holistic project management from day one are vital for preventing delays and maximizing an asset’s lifespan. At Standard Solar, we value partners who prioritize these foundational practices because they align directly with our own commitment to operational excellence. By focusing on these critical details together, we ensure every project delivers lasting value to the communities it serves.