California water treatment plant to install solar panels

Aug. 26, 2002
After watching its energy costs rise by 41% over the last two years, the Sewerage Commission-Oroville Region (SCOR) wastewater treatment plant has tapped Sun Power & Geothermal Energy, San Rafael, Calif., to install a 520KW solar power system on its site. The solar array, which will go online in November, will provide enough electricity to treat 80% of the wastewater that passes through the facility,

After watching its energy costs rise by 41% over the last two years, the Sewerage Commission-Oroville Region (SCOR) wastewater treatment plant has tapped Sun Power & Geothermal Energy, San Rafael, Calif., to install a 520KW solar power system on its site. The solar array, which will go online in November, will provide enough electricity to treat 80% of the wastewater that passes through the facility, making the SCOR plant the first in the country to be primarily power by solar energy.

The array will employ PV panels set on dual-tilt supports that are manually tilted up in the fall and down in the spring to maximize exposure to sunlight throughout the year for greater power-gathering efficiency. The SCOR’s board hopes that with the new system the plant can gain independence from the grid during daylight hours.

The plant serves 15,000 families and numerous industries in the greater Oroville area north of Sacramento, Calif., treating nearly 1.2 billion gallons of wastewater annually.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EC&M, create an account today!

Sponsored Recommendations

Electrical Conduit Comparison Chart

CHAMPION FIBERGLASS electrical conduit is a lightweight, durable option that provides lasting savings when compared to other materials. Compare electrical conduit types including...

Fiberglass Electrical Conduit Chemical Resistance Chart

This information is provided solely as a guide since it is impossible to anticipate all individual site conditions. For specific applications which are not covered in this guide...

Considerations for Direct Burial Conduit

Installation type plays a key role in the type of conduit selected for electrical systems in industrial construction projects. Above ground, below ground, direct buried, encased...

How to Calculate Labor Costs

Most important to accurately estimating labor costs is knowing the approximate hours required for project completion. Learn how to calculate electrical labor cost.