Kyocera Solar and WorldWater Corp. have teamed up to produce a solar pumping system for Lehr Bothers, a potato and citrus grower in Edison, Calif. Kyrocera Solar, a provider of solar electric products for industry and agriculture, supplied 760 of its KC-158W solar panels to power a 350-hp pump. The pump is tied to the electric grid and used for processing potatoes at the packing facility. WorldWater, a solar engineering and water management company, designed and installed the solar pumping system.
The 10,000-sq-ft, 120kW solar array is installed on a carport and works with both the conventional utility grid and solar power. It's designed to reduce electricity costs, especially during peak hours, and it makes sure the pump will continue to function in the event of a power outage or power reduction from the electric grid.
Quentin T. Kelly, chairman and CEO of WorldWater Corp., says there are additional benefits to the system. “Solar power offers farmers an alternative energy source that is reliable, affordable, and clean,” Kelly says.
