NINGBO, China, October 9, 2019 – Ciel & Terre USA, innovators in floating solar power systems, and the Town of Windsor officials have started construction of what will be the largest floating solar power system in the state of California. The floating solar array will be installed on the Town’s largest recycled water storage pond and is expected to meet 90 percent of the Town’s water treatment and pump facilities’ energy needs.
Risen Energy Co., Ltd (hereinafter referred to as Risen Energy), will be responsible for providing all modules used in this project. This Ciel et Terre solar installation will consist of 4,959 (360W) high-output Risen Energy monocrystalline solar panels mounted atop the company’s patented Hydrelio floating solar racking system.
Risen Energy commented, “This is our first time contributing to a floating solar system project in the United States and we are very honored to be a part of this landmark project for the state of California. We are pleased to be cooperating with the local installers, racking system suppliers, and electrical companies to achieve industry leading results.”
The 1.78 megawatt system will generate power for the Windsor Wastewater Reclamation Facility, Public Works Corporation Yard, and the Geysers pump station, delivering approximately 90 percent of the water reclamation facilities’ power requirements while saving about 30 percent of the electricity cost based on the facilities’ existing grid service. The array will be floated in the pond and tethered to the shore, making it resistant to wind and seismic loads.
The project is being developed and construction financed by Ciel et Terre, which has entered into a 25-year lease and power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Town of Windsor to provide discounted clean energy. The floating solar system will allow Windsor to better control its electrical costs in the face of rising utility prices.
“By entering into a PPA, the Town can substantially reduce its energy overhead without any investment,” said Eva Pauly-Bowles, Representative Director for Ciel & Terre USA, Inc. “Floating solar is becoming an attractive energy alternative for municipalities seeking to reduce operating costs and preserve valuable land for other developments.”
“Our water reclamation and corporation yard facilities currently account for 40 percent of the Town’s greenhouse gas emissions,” said Toni Bertolero, Town of Windsor Public Works Director. “Installation of this new floating solar array will reduce our reliance on energy-polluting sources by an estimated 350 metric tons of CO2 per year, a significant step to achieve our Climate Action Plan emission reduction goals.”
The floating solar project will cover only 22 percent of the available water surface area of the pond. It will have no impact on the biology of the pond and will reduce water loss from evaporation and inhibit algae growth. The state-of-the-art floating solar design can be expanded for extra capacity and will not affect plant operations while it is being installed.
About
Ciel & Terre
Established in 2006 as a renewable Independent Power Producer (IPP), Ciel &
Terre has been fully devoted to floating solar PV since 2011. The French
company pioneered Hydrelio®, the first specific and industrialized system to
make solar panels float on water, with criteria such as cost-effectiveness,
safety, longevity, resistance to winds and waves, simplicity, drinking water
compliance, and optimized electrical yield.
Ciel & Terre has floating solar installations in Japan, Korea, China, UK, France, Germany, Netherland, Portugal, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Panama, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Italy, Taiwan as well as the United States. The company has its United States headquarters in Petaluma, California.
About Risen Energy
Risen Energy Co., Ltd. was founded in 1986 and successfully listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange Market in 2010 (stock code: 300118). Risen Energy is one of the leading enterprises in the solar industry and specializes in the R&D, production, marketing and service of solar modules and solar cell technology applications. Risen Energy is also an investor, developer and EPC contractor of solar energy projects. With globally established branches and sales networks in countries such as China, Germany, Australia, Mexico, India, the United States, Japan and so on, Risen Energy aims to provide new green energy for the world. After years of hard work, Risen Energy’s component production capacity of has reached 9.1GW.
