Solar Comes to the Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association.

On September 27, 2007 Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association dedicated a 2.1-kilowatt solar demonstration project at the association’s headquarters in Windsor, Colorado. Cooperative representatives from across the state as well as local government officials were on hand for the ribbon-cutting celebration.

The twelve SolarWorld 175-watt panels are secured to a top of pole mount system, with racking from Direct Power and Water. Over a one-year period, the system is expected to generate 3100 kilowatt hours of electricity. The array has been positioned at a 40-degree tilt and will be adjusted seasonally to maximize output. A Fronius IG 25000 grid-tie inverter with 2350 VAC watt 208 VAC output accompanied the PV array. 

The solar demonstration project is the second for a Colorado rural electric cooperative and the first on the east side of the Rocky Mountains. The PVREA board decided to install the PV system as a way to inform members of the benefits of renewable energy. Towards that goal, PVREA installed a data monitoring system that tracks the array’s performance. An interactive computer kiosk, located in the lobby of the headquarters, will monitor the system’s energy output on a real time basis. On an annual basis, the PV system will offset 6,244 pounds of Carbon Dioxide per year.