San Joaquin Valley Water District
Dedicates Solar System
Shell Solar and the Semitropic Water Storage District, an agricultural water
district located in Wasco, Calif., in the San Joaquin Valley, have announced the
dedication of a 980-kilowatt solar electric power system at the water
district’s treatment and storage facility. The district’s water distribution
system delivers water for the irrigation of approximately 140,000 acres.
Designed and installed by Shell Solar, the system utilizes a unique
patent-pending single-axis tracking system. Shell Solar developed the new
tracking system specifically for this project to deliver maximum energy
production by allowing the panels in the solar arrays to move and “follow the
sun” across the sky. For enhanced reliability and lower installation costs,
Shell Solar made use of its “panelization” process whereby multiple modules
are factory assembled into large panels at its Camarillo manufacturing facility.
Comprised of 1,920 Shell PowerMax Ultra panels (each panel produces 510 watts of
solar electricity), the $6 million system covers an area approximately the size
of four football fields. Four PV series solar inverters designed and
manufactured by Xantrex Technology Inc. are at the heart of the new solar
electric system. Xantrex's PV225 inverters each convert 225 kW of direct current
electricity produced by the solar modules into high-quality alternating current
electricity that is used to power Semitropic's water distribution system.
This patent-pending project will not only generate electricity to run the
district’s distribution system and water pumps, the solar energy could also
potentially be used to power its hydrogen generator to produce fuel for its
fleet of vehicles. Using renewable energy technologies is in line with the
district’s dedication towards environmental stewardship and is also a good
economic investment.
“Solar is attractive in that it provides a low-cost, long-term base load power
source that avoids expensive on-peak utility power,” said Will Boschman,
general manager, Semitropic.
Nearly half the cost of the system is covered by Pacific Gas and Electric under
its Self-Generation Incentive Program. The solar project is on track to receive
a $2,986,050 rebate from PG&E, the single largest solar rebate check handed
out by the utility to date.
“PG&E is proud to have partnered with Semitropic Water District on this
project that will provide environmental and financial benefits for years to
come,” said Beverly Alexander, vice president of customer satisfaction,
PG&E. “PG&E has a long-standing commitment to energy efficiency,
conservation and renewable energy, and applauds the district directors for their
foresight.”
Calculated over the expected 25-year lifespan of the system, the predicted
energy savings for the district is nearly $3.3 million. Annually the system is
projected to deliver 1,729,000 kilowatt hours of electricity or 10,000 acre feet
of water shipped to customers. The system is projected to avoid 1,763,000 pounds
of CO2 emissions annually.
Semitropic Water Storage District is an agricultural water district located in
Kern County. The district delivers water to nearly 300 customers for the
irrigation and supplies energy to a variety of users. The district operates a
1.65 million acre-foot groundwater storage program that requires pumping of
water going into storage as well as withdrawal of water to provide drought year
supply for statewide urban water users.
Published 05/05/2005
©
2005 Greenmedia Publishing Ltd.