Solar racking on carports is an innovative way to derive clean energy, reduce other energy costs, and keep cars and people shaded, and the Cummins carport project met all these goals!
The Cummins Carport Project — a Park@Sol Success Story
Contributed by | Schletter Inc.
Reprinted with permission from Schletter Inc.:
Not all solar energy applications for businesses are created equal. Off-the-shelf solar energy panels simply don’t work for many sites because of custom requirements.
Fortunately, there is an alternative. Park@Sol from Schletter is a carport system that provides solar energy while creating much-needed shade for parking or pedestrian areas. Let’s take a look at the Cummins carport project, a recent Park@Sol success story. In the Cummins carport project, Park@Sol was installed in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, by Solfuturo, a Schletter customer for over 8 years. The project had three main objectives:
- Reduce CO2 emissions to the environment
- Save on energy costs
- Provide shade to employees' cars from the hot summer sun over Juarez
The project commenced in September 2017. The Cummins carport is a 279 kW project with the potential to expand to 1.1 MW in the future. By using advanced production methods, Schletter created longer spans between foundations, reducing costs and simplifying the process. Best of all, no on-site welding or cutting was necessary to construct the solar carport. The anchors and bases were on site in less than a month, and the Park@Sol racking was delivered in late November. The system was completed and fully operational on December 30, 2017. It was a quick turnaround, but Schletter was proudly able to meet the customer’s tight timeline and budget.
The complete installation included:
- 1-structure CARPORT 3X27
- 1-structure CARPORT 6X40
- 2-structure CARPORT 6X46
- 873 solar panels covering an area of 2300 m2 or 24,757 sq. feet, covering 124 cars
- 12 Fronius SYMO 24 inverters - 480 VOLTS
The Cummins carport is not only functional, but also aesthetically pleasing. The customer was impressed by the high-quality designs and profiles, as well as the easy installation. Jesus Bojorquez, Owner/CEO, Solfuturo, says, "We have been working with Schletter for a long time. I have confidence in Park@Sol and its reliable and flexible designs for installation, as well as my account representative who guided me throughout the project. This project was a success because it exceeded all my expectations, and those of my customers. Park@Sol is truly an excellent design.”
Solar racking on carports is an innovative way to derive clean energy, reduce other energy costs, and keep cars and people shaded, and the Cummins carport project met all these goals! The project is projected to save 6.278 tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere, the equivalent of planting 162,475 trees. Taking into account inflation and depreciation, Cummins expects to see a return on investment in less than six years. And great savings throughout the 25 years of life expectancy of the installation. Bojorquez adds, "We are very satisfied with Schletter and Park@Sol. We are excited to work on a similar project very soon."
The most versatile solar carport solution available, the Park@Sol carport aluminum racking system offers numerous benefits including structural engineering support with complete drawing packages for customer. These carports can also be used for single or double rows of parking. Schletter systems are compatible with most module types, orientations, and inclines up to 20°. Foundation options, including cast-in-place concrete ballasts, concrete pillars, and micropile integrations, enable a durable, optimal installation. The corrosion-resistant aluminum construction requires minimal maintenance. And less concrete material is needed to accommodate high wind and snow loads, resulting in a highly cost-effective system with a streamlined design.
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AltEnergyMag
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