Utah’s first floating photo voltaic farm is full [video]

Renewable developer Ameresco teamed up with water utility Mountain Regional Water Particular Service District to launch Utah’s first floating photo voltaic farm.

The floating photo voltaic array sits on a holding pond on the Sign Hill Water Therapy Plant in Summit County, and the purpose is to assist the plant dramatically minimize down on its vitality prices.

Floating photo voltaic developer D3Energy additionally labored with Ameresco to construct the 587.5 kilowatt (KW) floating photo voltaic array. It’s designed to generate 871,086 kilowatt-hours of fresh vitality yearly. It can scale back carbon dioxide emissions by 609 metric tons yearly, the equal of stopping the burning of 670,649 kilos of coal. By powering the water remedy plant instantly, the system will offset 92% of the plant’s grid vitality consumption and scale back vitality prices by 80%.

The challenge received assist from Rocky Mountain Energy’s Blue Sky program, which contributed a $400,000 grant. This challenge is part of Rocky Mountain Energy’s ongoing effort to assist community-based renewable vitality initiatives.

Floating photo voltaic farms make use of water surfaces that might in any other case go unused. Plus, by shading the water beneath, floating photo voltaic arrays assist scale back evaporation – an added bonus in arid areas like this one.

“Conventional floor or rooftop photo voltaic wasn’t an choice for us at this facility, however this modern floating photo voltaic set up makes use of an untapped useful resource,” mentioned Mountain Regional Chief Know-how Officer Chris Braun. “That is yet another piece of the puzzle for us to get to a net-zero vitality purpose as we try to be accountable stewards for the neighborhood and the atmosphere.”

The challenge was accomplished forward of schedule, with commissioning accomplished on September 20. It’s set to formally go dwell by late October. It’s an thrilling milestone for Utah and an amazing instance of how floating photo voltaic might play a much bigger function in renewable vitality growth shifting ahead.

Take a look at a video of the challenge beneath:

Learn extra: A $1 billion photo voltaic + battery storage challenge simply broke floor in Utah