Erthos, innovators of the of Earth Mount Solar PV concept, have 14 MW of projects under contract and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a single 107 MWdc project. These commitments span agreements with five of the top U.S. and global utility-scale solar developers and signal the next phase in the march to deploy Earth Mount Solar PV technology at utility scale.
Erthos is trying to carve out a niche as a pile-less PV mounting product for community and utility-scale solar plants. It’s a compelling concept for sure considering the potential to lower costs, increase power density and be less visible (which is starting to be an issue in many counties that are keeping solar “out of their backyards” solely based on aesthetics).
Chaberton Energy, with its headquarters in Maryland, focuses on community solar and is benefiting from Earth Mount Solar PV’s ability to deliver the desired energy on a fraction of the land compared to other solutions. Chaberton’s CEO commented on that latter point being key.
“Erthos technology allows us to build projects in specific locations that present challenges in terms of land availability and visibility,” says Stefano Ratti, CEO of Chaberton Energy. Erthos and Chaberton Energy have executed two Owner’s Architect Agreements for projects in the mid-Atlantic.
Encore Renewable Energy, a leader in community-scale renewable energy and energy storage development with headquarters in Vermont, has signed an MOU with Erthos for a noteworthy project in their portfolio.
“As a forward-looking company, our team is always looking to improve the value of our projects with innovative technology,” says Chad Farrell, CEO of Encore Renewable Energy. “Erthos is answering that call for a project of ours, significantly improving project economics with its novel earth-mounted approach.”
Path Company, an energy services company that was founded in 2017 and has operations across the southern US, has agreed to use Earth Mount Solar PV for a community college project in its home state of Mississippi.
“With Erthos, we are getting a solution adapted to our specific site and project, provided by some of the most experienced professionals in the business,” says Russ Phillips, Co-Founder of Path Company.
Projects under contract will bring the installed base of Earth Mount Solar PV to 17 MWdc. Additionally, Erthos has signed an MOU for a 107 MWdc project with a yet-to-be-disclosed US developer.
“In this case, the project has very high interconnection costs,” says Jim Tyler, CEO of Erthos. “Erthos offers a clear advantage here because it has two to three times the energy density of a tracker or fixed-tilt system. This makes it ideal for projects with high fixed costs.”
— Solar Builder magazine
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