3E supported the development of a portfolio of solar PV projects in Guatemala by delivering basic and detailed engineering services, enabling efficient transition from design to construction for Viprosa, Guatemalan engineering, construction and quality assurance company part of Encontrol Corporate Group.
Solar projects overview
3E contributed to the engineering of multiple utility-scale solar PV projects during the last 6 years in Guatemala, including:
- PV Don Jorge – 6.08 MWp
- PV San Gabriel – 6.4 MWp
- Cluster PV Los Altos
- La Esperanza - 6.46 MWp
- Santa Barbara - 6.46 MWp
- Los Altos - 6.46 MWp
- PV Solros – 6.48 MWp
- PV Zamorano – 6.62 MWp
- PV Numa – 7.29 MWp
- La Gitana – 6.70 MW
The scope of the projects included Basic Engineering and Detailed Engineering
3E role: from design to execution
3E delivered comprehensive engineering activities to support project execution, covering:
- Civil design with a full development of the plant’s physical layout and supporting infrastructure, ensuring both technical feasibility and constructability. Topographical analysis and terrain modeling, as well as optimized cut and fill calculations to minimize earthworks. Internal roads and access routes design, considering logistics for construction and maintenance. Foundations design for PV structures, inverter stations, and transformer platforms based on geotechnical conditions and load requirements. Drainage system design to manage stormwater and prevent erosion, and all general infrastructure such as fencing, equipment platforms, and auxiliary buildings is defined.
- Electrical design with DC, low-voltage, and medium-voltage design, ensuring compliance with applicable standards and grid requirements. String sizing and configuration, verification of operating voltages under extreme conditions, and optimization of the DC layout. Cable sizing for both DC and AC systems, considering thermal limits, voltage drop, and short-circuit conditions. Protection systems and coordination, layout of the medium-voltage network, and grounding system design to ensure safety. Grid connection design through the point of interconnection, including single-line diagrams and protection philosophy. Additionally, an annual energy production study is carried out to estimate plant performance and expected yield, including all relevant losses. Design of communication infrastructure: enabling monitoring, control, and data acquisition across the plant.
- Mechanical design with verification of the PV mounting structures and their integration with the site conditions. Review and validation of the selected structure system (fixed-tilt or trackers), ensuring compliance with project requirements. Adaptation of the structure layout to the topography and the optimization of row distribution. Detailed pile layout drawings production, defining the exact coordinates and positioning of driven piles.
- Communication infrastructure to enable monitoring, control, and data acquisition throughout the plant. Development of the communication architecture, from field devices to plant-level control systems, and selection of appropriate protocols for integration with SCADA.
All designs were developed to ensure constructability, clarity for EPC contractors, and alignment with project requirements, reducing risks during the execution phase.
Engineering at scale: delivering consistency across different solar projects
Working across different projects in this case, requires technical expertise, structure, repeatability, and coordination. 3E applied a standardised engineering approach across all projects, ensuring consistency in design principles while adapting to project-specific requirements.
This allowed for efficient replication of solutions across the projects, reducing engineering time and supporting faster project rollout. Close coordination between civil, electrical, and communication design ensured that interfaces were fully aligned before construction, minimising the risk of reworking on site.
Despite limited site access during the design phase, the engineering assumptions proved robust, as confirmed by post-construction validation on one of the sites. This demonstrates the ability to deliver reliable, high-quality engineering even in international and remote project contexts.
The service has been very good. The support has been excellent, which I believe is extremely important for us. You have become an anchor for us, a strategic partner. It is impressive that you are one of the few engineering firms that truly manages to harmonize the American ANSI standards with the ICE standards, which is very difficult to achieve. - says Jose Jorge Alarcon, COO of Viprosa
Why 3E
3E delivers reliable, construction-ready engineering that supports both project execution and bankability. Our decades experience in managing multi-project portfolios allows us to combine consistency with flexibility, ensuring each project is optimized while maintaining efficiency at scale. By integrating civil, electrical, and communication design within a single workflow, we reduce interface risks and help developers move from design to construction with confidence.
Supporting solar growth in Central America
This portfolio highlights 3E’s capability to support renewable energy expansion in central America such as Guatemala, delivering high-quality engineering solutions that enable projects to move forward efficiently and reliably.
We have almost 90% of the solar resource untapped. The capacity to generate with the sun is enormous, and geography has helped us a lot. The energy market in Guatemala has never stopped paying. It has a huge financial cushion and a very strong pulse. - Jose Jorge Alarcon
About Encontrol Corporarte Group
Encontrol is a Guatemalan engineering and quality assurance company with more than 30 years of experience in non-destructive testing (NDT), project management, quality control, and technical inspection services. The company supports industrial, energy, and infrastructure projects through services.
VIPROSA provides end-to-end project management, covering feasibility studies, engineering, procurement, construction oversight, and project delivery, with a strong focus on quality, reliability, and compliance with international standards.
Looking for trusted advisors in renewable energy projects?
With over 27 years of experience providing technical, financial and strategic advisory services in the renewable energy sector, 3E offers expertise that supports projects at any location and at every stage of their lifecycle. By leveraging our insights, clients like Kallima are able to make more informed decisions and drive stronger project outcomes.
For other examples of our work, you can find more project references and client testimonials at our resource page. Or if you request our capability statement via this contact form, we’ll be happy to send you a comprehensive overview of our past projects.
