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Delano Water District Installs Solar Trackers

October 1, 2008

Premier Power of El Dorado Hills, Calif., has installed bi-directional solar trackers for the Delano Water District's municipal water treatment facility, according to a Sept. 25 press release. Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District in California delivers water through closed reinforced concrete pipelines on an arranged schedule.

The first two trackers each span 45 feet and include 915-square feet of solar panels. The state-of-the-art, dual-axis solar trackers produce increasing photovoltaic solar energy by more than 35 percent when compared to fixed installations.

"We have seen adoption of solar trackers increasing exponentially in more mature markets like Europe, and we are bringing best-in-class solar tracking technology to the U.S., which will enable us to offer customers increased efficiency for their solar projects and increased ROI," commented Miguel de Anquin.

Premier Power's approach to solar engineering and integration is focused on leaving a minimal environmental footprint, while remaining focused on providing solutions to meet customer demands in terms of maximizing energy production while maintaining aesthetic appeal. Most solar installations typically need 3 foot diameter and 6 foot deep holes augured to support the solar structure. Large-scale trackers also need tons of concrete injected into the earth that could remain for hundreds of years. The Delano Water District project was designed to leverage 44,000-pound ballasted, ground mount systems that sit on top of the soil, creating a more efficient integration.