Array Technologies, Inc. (ATI), a leader in solar tracking systems, announces the commissioning and interconnection of the 45 MW (ac) Sandstone Solar Project in Florence, Arizona.
Sandstone owner and operator, sPower, contracted turnkey solar power solution provider Swinerton Renewable Energy to lead engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) activities for the ground-mounted single-axis tracker photovoltaic installation. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) provided tax-equity financing for the project. Phoenix-based utility Salt River Project is purchasing all of the solar energy produced at the 45 MW facility as part of its sustainable portfolio. Sandstone Solar produces enough green power to supply more than 8,000 homes.
Built in about five months, Sandstone Solar is located on nearly 340 acres and features more than 182,000 Jinko solar modules mounted on the best LCOE tracker on the market, ATI’s DuraTrack HZ v3.
“ATI’s tracker technology is an important contributor to the success of the Sandstone Solar facility,” said Ryan Creamer, sPower CEO. “The DuraTrack system allows the panels to more efficiently capture energy as the sun tracks across the Arizona sky, which benefits SRP’s rate payers.”
“We partnered with Array Technologies not only for their high quality product, but because we knew they would meet our strict deadline and still provide the level of support needed for this great project,” said George Hershman, Vice President and Division Manager of Swinerton Renewable Energy.
“It is a true honor to work alongside such extraordinary partners as sPower, Swinerton and Wells Fargo,” explained ATI Founder and CEO, Ron Corio. “We pride ourselves on providing the lowest lifetime cost tracking technology in the world and these forward-thinking organizations understand the long-term value proposition offered by building, owning and operating a high-quality solar asset.”
Featuring patented rotating gear drive architecture, DuraTrack HZ v3 significantly reduces tracker installation time, requires no scheduled maintenance over its 30-year design life and includes a highly innovative load mitigation mechanism that allows each tracker row to respond to weather events and changing site conditions, automatically. Since the initial product release in June 2015, ATI has shipped and installed over 1 gigawatt of v3 with several gigawatts more projected through 2016 and beyond.