Saturday, February 5, 2011

Solar Power Can!

Like Rome, a great photovoltaic (PV) array takes more than a day to build. And, like Rome, this system is going to be powerful. In case you have just tuned into this blog you do not know that SolaraloS is building a 10.56kW PV array on the central cost of California. At 10.56kW the array has 44 Sharp NU-U240F1 solar panels that can deliver up to 450 volts @ 32 amps. The DC electricity will be converted to a beautiful 60 Hz AC sinewave by the Fronius I.G. Plus 10.0-240 inverter.




Now that I have turned you on to the power of the array, we will discuss the logistics how the array came to be. It is about 500' from the meter that it will be spinning backward. This however is no ordinary 500', not a chance. Delivering all of the systems components, e.g., panels, racking system, ground mounting system; was mostly accomplished with the use of the sweet 6 wheeler pictured in earlier posts. The delivery route was pretty rad and I am glad I got to ride along. To get from the meter to the site we had to drive down a dirt road about 300 feet loop around some trees and then forge a path about 400 feet back up to the site. The owner of the property cleared about an acre of fox brush that is on a hill sunken in a valley. The array is facing toward solar noon and is ready to start work, with one small exception, there are still a few more panels, as you can see, that need to be put up. The good news is they are all sitting right next to the array and are ready for Monday. 


All in all I would have to say it was a pretty good week in the back country. There is a lot to be learned and a lot has been accomplished. It is good though, to be a part of something that is good for the planet and the life the enables it. As always, thanks for reading.
"Its about solar. Its about time."

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