RP Construction Services Inc. (RPCS) and Knobelsdorff have partnered to supply 14 communities throughout Minnesota with renewable solar energy.
RPCS, a partner of solar tracker manufacturer Array Technologies Inc., will be supplying the DuraTrack HZ v3 single-axis solar tracker for the portfolio of projects. Array trackers keep solar PV modules following the sun on its course throughout the day, optimizing energy gains and ensuring up to a 20% to 25% increase in energy production over fixed-tilt systems.
“Partnering with RPCS to be a part of the first solar project using AP Alternatives and Array Technologies is exciting,” says Jeff Schrimpf, general manager of energy at Knoblesdorff Energy (KE).
“The system has allowed us to find a cost-effective alternative to standard H-pile due to poor soil conditions. Without this alternative, the project may not have been feasible to build,” he adds.
KE, a division of Knobelsdorff, will partner with RPCS to perform engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services. RPCS and KE have worked closely over the last several years on several projects and have completed nearly 20 MW of solar projects in 2019.
Included in the portfolio, the 1.2 MW DC Silver Lake project will be the first solar array that utilizes a combination of AP Alternatives’ ground screw foundation and the Array Technologies single-axis tracker. KE will be completing the civil and electrical scope as well as the mechanical installation as the project EPC.
The portfolio of Minnesota projects will total 17 MW DC and is expected to be completed later this year.
Photo: AP Alternatives’ landing page
