When geologist Joan Pau Singer founded the geotechnical consulting firm GMS in 2007, the global market for solar parks was still in its infancy. “We were practically one of the only ones in the world that carried out soil, environmental and safety studies prior to the construction of these parks,” says the businessman. Now, 17 years later, GMS has faced “a lot of competition,” Singer acknowledges.
The Barcelona company manages to put itself in the middle with its competitors thanks to its own holistic method. Since the company was founded, this method has led GSM to participate in more than 650 large renewable energy park projects in more than 45 countries on four continents, with solar parks being its specialty. Clients include companies such as Acciona Energia, Enel, Trina Solar, Jinko Power, Statkraft and Masdar.
“In addition to the geological, geotechnical, hydrological, hydraulic, geophysical, topographical and environmental studies necessary to design large photovoltaic and wind farms with guarantees of success, our teams calculate and optimize the civil design of these facilities. The objective is to guarantee maximum efficiency and also the greatest possible resilience to external factors such as climatological effects or seismic stress on the ground,” explains the founder.
In order to offer a more local service to its orders, 73% of which arrived from outside the borders of the Spanish State in 2023, Singer has created a subsidiary in Mexico and another in Chile. The three companies make up GMS Internacional Group, which employs a total of 22 people.
The group is about to grow with a subsidiary in another European country that the CEO prefers not to reveal “as it is a highly strategic decision.” The executive director also has plans for growth and opening a laboratory in the Chilean subsidiary, which he wants to finance by raising 300,000 euros of private capital.
In Barcelona, ??GMS has offices and a laboratory for carrying out tests. Geologists like Singer work there, but also geophysicists, civil engineers, environmental engineers and topographers. The founder is seeking private investment to raise 450,000 euros with the aim of purchasing machinery and expanding the laboratory in the Catalan capital, which is becoming too small due to the growth that the solar market in Spain has recorded in recent years.
In 2023, the company has developed 106 projects, which have generated a turnover of 1.75 million euros.
