Ameresco has completed a 587.5 KW floating solar array on a holding pond at the Signal Hill Water Treatment Plant in Utah, developed in partnership with Mountain Regional Water Special Service District.
Ameresco partnered with the floating PV developer D3Energy to develop the floating solar array, supported by a $400,000 grant from Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky Award program. This is Ameresco's second water infrastructure solar project announced this month, including one in Oregon.
The project is designed to generate 871,086 kWh of clean energy annually and reduce CO2 emissions by 609 metric tons each year, equivalent to eliminating 68,474 gallons of gasoline consumption or preventing the burning of 670,649 pounds of coal.
“This floating solar array demonstrates the benefit of thinking beyond conventional approaches,” said Lou Maltezos, Executive Vice President of Ameresco, in a statement. “The notion that solar panels must be installed on land is an unnecessary limitation. By reconsidering their placement, we unlock new opportunities for sustainability. The district isn't just implementing solar energy for its own sake - they are deeply invested in the economic aspects of this project. This first-ever floating solar array in Utah is both innovative and economically feasible, making it a prime example of sustainable development.”
The system will not only offset 92 percent of the plant’s grid energy consumption but also reduce energy costs by 80 percent by providing electricity directly to the water treatment plant, according to the developers. The floating solar array uses available water surfaces to generate renewable energy, providing an ideal solution for maximizing energy production without impacting land resources.
With construction finalized by September 10 and commissioning completed on September 20, the project is completed ahead of schedule. Full utility permission to operate is expected by October 23, according to the team.
Distributed energy resources and microgrids are helping power critical infrastructure such as water treatment plants and protecting them from grid outages nationwide. Power outages pose health risks in the regions where storms, wildfires and other events cause that portion of the grid to go down.
Power generation developer Enchanted Rock has delivered gas-fired gen-sets for irrigation districts in California, while Concord Engineering also has contributed to water and wastewater treatment microgrids.
