Case Study: Hodson Energy

CHALLENGE

Hodson Energy works iteratively rather than linearly. With access to large tracts of land, they need to take a quick snapshot of that land in a very short period of time, then pencil it in as a solar or battery project. This snapshot must include information such as interconnection requirements, capacity, pricing, permitting, buildable acreage, environmental challenges, and more. Where land gets a green light, they need to condense the permitting process as well – from the standard weeks or months into hours or days.

SOLUTION

For many years, Hodson has selected Transect as their technology partner to successfully navigate complex siting and compliances processes. Transect offers cutting-edge environmental mapping tools to help ensure that Hodson has a clear view of all aspects of a site, viewing data layers individually or in conjunction with one another. This offers a holistic impression of how relevant a particular parcel is, then exports it as a single file the team can use to move forward with the design and financial modeling on a specific piece of land.

If those variables look favorable, Hodson then returns to the Transect software once more for permitting guidance. They can find all the information they need in one place, avoiding the tedious labor of assembling it piecemeal from dozens of sources – with the associated costs. Instead, they can run a single report and share it with all pertinent team members immediately.

Using Transect as part of their day-to-day operations has netted Hodson significant financial savings, sped up project timelines and expedited proper site selection.

UP TO 40% LESS TIME RESEARCHING

While Hodson Energy does have access to a large India-based team that can support evaluations, research is still a significant outlay, even when sent overseas. When developers need to scrape for information at the local, state, and federal levels in order to identify sites or to get permits, the process yields significant work. However, Hodson is able to cut down their research time by 30-40% via Transect’s simple report and share features.

SMALLER, MORE AGILE TEAM

Hodson Energy’s team is split between the US and India. Maintaining a steady workflow between the two locations can prove difficult, but Transect’s easy, shareable reports simplify communication. Due to the streamlined reporting and reduced research time, Hodson is able to maintain a smaller and more agile team, reducing both costs and confusion.