Single Site Analysis Guide

Already identified a target site area outside of AO? Analyze constraints, review nearby grid infrastructure, and create exports for the site.

Site Analysis Overview
The Site Analysis project type allows you to analyze parcels that you have already located for a potential site (vs. searching for brand new sites in a greenfielding search). The Site Analysis project type is great for inbound landowner/client calls, brownfield sites, M&A projects, and KMZs with specific boundaries.
Step 1: Create a new Site Analysis Project
​Create a new project and select the Site Analysis project type to begin
Type in a name for the project and add any additional details
Step 2: Select parcel(s) to add to project
Since you already know where the land is for the site, you can locate and select the target parcel(s) through a few different methods on the Primary Land step of the 'Create new project' flow:
​Import parcel boundaries from a KMZ ​
This works well if you already have the parcels identified in Google Earth or already in a KMZ. Rather than relocating the same parcels in our parcel dataset, you can simply import the parcels directly from a KML/KMZ
​Locate individual parcels within an AOI polygon from a KML/KMZ​
​Use the parcels layer 
Select the parcels you want to add to the project right from the Parcels layer. This layer is automatically activated on the Primary Land map in the create project flow. Just zoom in to see the orange parcel boundaries display on the map and click each parcel you want to add to add to the project. 
​Select from previously saved parcels on the map
If you or someone else in your organization has saved the parcels in AO previously, they will be visible on the map (blue parcel boundaries with blue dot). You can re-select them for your new project.
​Search for parcels by APN/PIN​
Note: Some of the parcel search tools are not available on the map in the 'Create Project' flow. If you need to run a parcel search around target grid infrastructure, for example, you will first need to create a Greenfielding project around at least 1 sub or line and then you can run the search on the project from there.
Step 3: Finish creating project
Scroll down below the map and click create to finish creating the project​
Step 4: (Optional) Add additional parcels to build out site acreage
Once you've completed step 3, there are many methods to find additional land for siting if you need to add additional acreage to what you started with. 
​Parcel Search Task: Search for parcels based on criteria like proximity to the parcel or parcels added in step 2
​Parcel Layer: Add parcels directly from the map with the parcels layer
​Trace out search area: Find parcels within custom search area
This video highlights the parcel search methods above:
Adding parcels anytime after completing step 3 of this process will add parcels to the 'Parcels' tab which is separate than the 'Primary Land' tab. You can add parcels into the 'Primary Land' or 'Parcels' tab using the 'Add' button in the corresponding tab
Step 5: (Optional) Combine individual parcels into larger site area (super parcel) 
​Creating a super parcel will allow you to make one site boundary out of multiple parcels. This also allows you to apply site boundary setbacks properly in the Buildable Area Analysis if you only want to apply parcel setbacks to the site boundary.
Step 6: Create constraint maps and calculate buildable acreage
Run the Buildable Area Analysis to analyze parcel or parcels in the project at once for key hazards
​View the constraint maps and hazard drawings created through the analysis
Check out the calculated buildable area (acres) for each parcel (there are also columns for each hazard's acreage, percent of the parcel, etc.)
​Manually remove hazards or exclusion areas, as needed
Step 7: Check out nearby grid infrastructure (substations and lines)
There are many different datasets that show grid infrastructure. You can turn the layers on from the various sources below and save grid infrastructure to the project for future reference.
Turn on basic Substations or Transmission Lines layers (EIA/HILFD) from the Layer Catalog 
Click on individual subs or lines and save them to the map by hitting 'Create' OR select, filter and save many at once​
Most of the EIA/HILFD substations and lines are 69 kV+, though there may also be lower voltage subs and lines. 
DG Grid Infrastructure: 
Use Anderson Optimization DG data for siting - please reach out to your account manager if you're interested in purchasing AO DG data. 
Hosting Capacity Map: Copy lines/substations from hosting capacity map -- copy three-phase line routes from publicly available hosting capacity map layers
Hosting Capacity Map/Other: Manually add assets  - trace/draw missing DG substations and lines to subsequently site around 
​Import substations/lines from a KMZ​
Use Ventyx, Velocity Suite, or Energy Acuity grid infrastructure layers (these are only available in the Layer Catalog if your company has integrated them from a separate subscription). 
​
Step 8: Review parcels 
Review parcels including sorting them by buildable acreage, marking star ratings, etc.
​Sort/filter parcels based on key attributes (e.g. filter to show just parcels over X buildable acres, sort by distance ) 
​Star rate parcels to track which parcels are best/worst 
​Save notes ​
​Delete/remove parcels that are not a good fit (use the filtering tool to filter and then select and bulk delete bad parcels via the parcels list view).
​Track site control status and agreement type throughout owner outreach
Step 9: Export project data
Export all key data from a siting project to seamlessly continue downstream work. Export project map/constraint maps, landowner information/parcel data, and PDF reports.
​Export as a KML/KMZ (project map, including parcel boundaries, constraints, grid infrastructure, user drawings)
​Export as a Shapefile (project map, including parcel boundaries, constraints, grid infrastructure, user drawings)
​Export as Excel or CSV file with landowner/mailing list info/parcel details
​Export AO Report (PDF) (parcel and Buildable Area Analysis details)
​Export parcel images (.png) or screenshots​
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Getting Started - Training Video

Next - Projects

Create new siting project

Last modified 2mo ago