CalCom Solar has started the installation of a new 1.1 MW solar power system at Medeiros and Son Dairy in Hanford, Calif. The project will be completed this summer.
“CalCom Solar is making solar energy work for us, both operationally and financially,” said Brian Medeiros. “The dairy business takes constant evaluation and assessment to ensure our operation and team is working as efficiently as possible. We’re extremely focused on improving efficiencies across the entire farm. Solar is one of those crucial tools that makes a lot of sense. It helps us to reduce our energy costs and improve our triple bottom line.”
Beginning in Q3 2015, Medeiros will significantly lower operational costs, saving about $320,000 annually on utility bills. This solar array will help provide financial certainty, delivering more than $8 million in utility savings over the next 25 years. CalCom Solar is deploying NEXTracker technology in this array, an innovative technology aligned with CalCom’s focus on helping agricultural customers increase their energy yield while lowering costs. If you recall, in March, CalCom announced a 100 MW deal with NEXTracker.
“We’re very proud to be working with Medeiros and Son, a leader in sustainable dairying and farming, to provide them with clean, reliable, emissions-free electricity,” noted CalCom Solar CEO Nic Stover. “By deploying over a megawatt of clean solar-powered generation, Medeiros will take a huge step towards becoming a net-zero, sustainable dairy.”
CalCom Solar will be breaking ground on 12 new PV projects at farms in the next two months.
In addition to the financial savings, the system will also help in California’s efforts to mitigate climate change. This project will significantly reduce CO2 emissions — the equivalent of burning 1.6 million pounds of coal or using 166,000 gallons of gasoline every year.
“By deploying solar, our farming practices will also improve, as we will be able to reduce our peak hour electrical demand on our fans, chillers and well pumps,” Medeiros said. This new PV array deployment leverages Net Energy Metering Aggregation (NEMA), affording CalCom the ability to install Medeiros’ solar array where it can return dividends on once unproductive ground.
CalCom has developed proprietary Solar AG Energy (SAGE) analysis software to analyze numerous factors —including historical and future rate increases, water/irrigation patterns, crop types, etc.—to generate the most precise energy projections in the industry.
— Solar Builder magazine
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