Power management company Eaton today announced it has provided electrical distribution equipment, engineering services and solar inverters for a 6.3-megawatt (MW) solar installation at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold, New Jersey. The photovoltaic (PV) solar array annually will generate more than 8 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of sustainable electricity to help the nonprofit health organization offset approximately 25 percent of its total electrical usage – and reduce yearly greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to nearly six million pounds of burned coal.
KDC Solar, a New Jersey company that specializes in engineering, developing, owning and operating solar power facilities, selected Eaton for the project. The installation is fully financed by KDC Solar with CentraState Medical Center purchasing the power produced through a power purchase agreement.
“With a broad portfolio of solar power management solutions designed to reduce installation costs, boost plant reliability and minimize maintenance expenses, Eaton is well positioned to help CentraState Medical Center offset the rising cost of energy,” said Chris Thompson, grid power business unit manager at Eaton.
The ground mounted PV project incorporates Eaton’s balance-of-system (BOS) solar solutions to help support safe, cost-effective and reliable energy generation, including two Eaton® Power Xpert® 1500-kilowatt (kW) inverters and Eaton’s Cooper Power series Envirotran™ direct-coupled transformers, which are designed to help increase electrical resiliency in large commercial and utility-scale, grid-connect applications. Eaton also provided extensive engineering services, including arc flash analysis and coordination studies, to enhance the safety and reliability of the project.
“Because of the long useful life of the solar facilities we develop, equipment quality is a critical component and something we investigate very carefully to produce the maximum value possible for our customers over the life of the installation,” said Alan Epstein, president and chief operating officer at KDC Solar. “We selected Eaton to supply the majority of the electrical equipment on this project and believe we have made the right choice for the long term.”
With a robust portfolio of electrical BOS solutions for solar installations, and a team of experienced engineers, Eaton provides power management equipment and software tailored to customer requirements and provides the skills needed to successfully complete a project, from initial design and application assistance through post-installation measurement, verification and maintenance. For more information, visit www.eaton.com/solar.
KDC Solar is supported by an allocation of $225 million in equity from Diamond Castle Holdings, a New York-based private equity fund with more than $1.8 billion of committed capital under management. Headquartered in Bedminster, New Jersey, KDC Solar is committed to using clean solar energy to provide economic stimulus and jobs in the state through long-term discounted electric rates. It currently operates over 50 megawatts of “behind the meter” solar facilities at 11 different locations and is constructing and permitting 85 megawatt of “net metered” solar projects. For more information, visit www.kdcsolar.com.
Eaton’s electrical business is a global leader with expertise in power distribution and circuit protection; backup power protection; control and automation; lighting and security; structural solutions and wiring devices; solutions for harsh and hazardous environments; and engineering services. Eaton is positioned through its global solutions to answer today’s most critical electrical power management challenges.
— Solar Builder magazine
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