One of the Largest Rooftop Solar Installations in the City of Irvine
Contributed by | Sollega
Sollega is proud to be the solar racking system provider of one of the largest rooftop photovoltaic installation in the city of Irvine. Irvine is located in the center of Orange County, California and is dedicated to not only matching but exceeding the energy and emission reduction goals of the State. Sollega, along with PermaCity Solar, contributed to helping Irvine meet these goals.
The 680 kW solar system was built on three separate rooftops totaling over 100,000 square feet. Because of the large number of skylights on the roofs it was uncertain if enough PV modules would fit on the roofs. The flexibility of the InstaRack system made it possible to work around these obstacles and to maximize the harvestable rooftop space. A total of 2,224 InstaRacks with a 10 degree tilt angle were installed to mount 2,886 solar modules. The InstaRack system allowed for a flexible, roof customized array, totaling over 73,400 square feet.
The PermaCity Solar crew was impressed by the speed and ease of installing the Sollega InstaRack system. They spent less time on the roof and had fewer parts to manage than with other ballasted racking systems previously used. "Sollega’s InstaRack is very intuitive to install and does not leave any promises unfulfilled – it’s a breath of fresh air“ explains H.D. Boesch, CTO of PermaCity Solar.The Sollega and PermaCity Solar engineering teams were able to keep the roof loading to a minimum by choosing an optimal balance between ballast pavers and roof anchors. Low weight was a crucial requirement in making the project a success.
The client, Nikken Inc., was grateful for the fast and smooth realization of the project. With an estimated power generation of 900,000 kWh per year the company will be able to generate up to 80 percent of their electrical requirements with clean solar power. This PV installation greatly contributes to Nikken’s ongoing efforts to conserve natural resources and minimize their environmental impact. Al Chavez, Facilities Manager at Nikken Inc. comments “Nikken is proud to be at the forefront of energy conservation and sustainability. Sollega helped us achieve these goals.”
Company Information
Sollega designs, tests and manufactures solar mounting solutions serving the US market. The patent-pending high-efficiency InstaRack solar racking system is a one-piece, pre-formed solar mounting system made from robust lightweight high density polyethylene (HDPE). InstaRack utilizes an advanced UV inhibitor for durability and extended life. InstaRack contains a minimum of 35% recycled content, resulting in a lower carbon footprint than conventional energy intensive aluminum racking systems. InstaRack is ARRA compliant and made in USA.
Project Key Facts
Location
Irvine, California
Customer
Nikken Inc.
EPC Partner
PermaCity Solar
System Size
680 kW
Mounting System
2,224 InstaRacks
at 10 degrees
Modules
2,886 Sharp 240 W
Inverters
2 Solaron 333 kW
Array Area
73,413 sq. ft.
Estimated Power Generation per Year
900,000 kWh
Estimated Percentage of Power Usage per Year
Up to 80%
Commissioning Date
September, 2011
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AltEnergyMag
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