Solar FlexRack Racking Solution is Installed in Iowa’s Largest Utility-Scale Solar Electric Project

Youngstown OH, Oct. 11^th, 2016 - Solar FlexRack™, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in photovoltaic mounting and tracking solutions, announced today the largest utility-scale solar power generation project in Iowa, a 2.3MW plant (the largest of the series which will include 5 systems and total 5.5MW) is installed with the smartest solar racking solution available, the best-in-class G3 Fixed Tilt system. One of the most cost-effective racking solutions, Solar FlexRack’s G3 Series was independently verified for its ease and speed of installation. Developed and installed by Azimuth Energy, the installations under construction are primarily located in the central and eastern regions of the Hawkeye State. Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO), Iowa’s largest cooperative energy provider, will commission the carbon-free, solar plants and the clean energy will be delivered to their membership. CIPCO is part of a powerful movement among electric cooperatives to procure sustainable solar power as a part of their energy offering. (Cooperativesacross the US have over 500 MW of solar power installed or in the works.*)

Steve Daniel, EVP of Solar FlexRack said, “We are pleased to have been selected for these projects by an engineering, construction and development support services company as dedicated to quality work and customer service as Azimuth Energy. The rigors of their quality assurance program distinguishes their work and helps to ensure long-term project reliability.”

"We work closely with our clients and want to ensure we find the best solutions for their needs. Solar FlexRack met our demanding requirements, providing the most versatile solution with the ability to accommodate varying terrains and duplicate design configurations - reducing engineering time and installation cost,” said Marc Lopata, President, Azimuth Energy.

When completed, the 5 solar electric plants will reduce over 5 million tons of carbon emissions annually.

 *According to National Rural Electric Cooperative

  

About Solar FlexRack

Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals, is an integrated solar company that offers custom-designed, fixed tilt ground mount and single-axis tracking systems in the commercial and utility scale, solar mounting industry. Solar FlexRack also offers full turnkey packages, including engineering, geotechnical, pullout testing, field, layout, and installation services to address the actual site conditions of an installation, providing a full scope of services from design to delivery and installation. Solar FlexRack has completed more than 1 GW of solar racking installations in 32 states across America and five countries globally. For more information, visit www.solarflexrack.com.

Azimuth Energy

Azimuth Energy is an engineering, construction, and development (EPC) support services company focused on the implementation of renewable energy and associated energy efficiency strategies. They are experts at innovative and creative solutions for solar energy, advanced technology microgrids, and energy efficiency integration. Building    clean energy strategies into business models is what they do. To find out more, visit http://azimuth.energy/.

Valuable Lessons in Co-existence Between Nature and Solar

The solar project that almost didn’t happen is now powering approximately 3,500 homes. AltEnergyMag.com has featured Solar FlexRack and the Pahrump, Nevada 17.5MW solar electric power plant on their website detailing how this 80-acre site is living in harmony with nature. 

In the article, Protecting an Endangered Species and a Solar Energy Project, details the challenges the team faced to protect an endangered species, Gopherus agassizii, or the Desert Tortoise on the site. Some valuable lessons in co-existence can be gained.

A number of unique adaptations were incorporated into the solar project plan. For example, it was important to keep the ground surface intact and not destroy the indigenous vegetation due to the presence of the Desert Tortoise. Typically, the ground surface of a solar site would be graded and leveled. In this case, the project plan called for an adjustable solar racking solution that could be installed on uneven, sloped terrain. Solar FlexRack’s G3-X fixed tilt racking system is an intelligent design which allowed horizontal rails to be set in place with no hardware during initial placement. The rack can easily be adjusted in the field to accommodate increased ground clearance and slope, a smart and cost-effective solution backed by one oft he best services and support teams in the industry. 

Download the pdf here, or read the entire article here.