(ARLINGTON, VA.)–Engineering designs for utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays developed by cooperative staff working with a research team at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) make their debut today when CoServ Electric dedicates its 2-MW community solar project in Krugerville, Texas.
In 2013, NRECA won support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative to create a set of standardized tools, including electrical engineering designs and financial business models, as part of an effort to drive down costs and reduce barriers to solar development.
“CoServ’s solar array is the first system using NRECA’s modular engineering designs to come online. We are thrilled to have CoServ as partner in this project. The CoServ array illustrates the value of the cooperative difference: collaboration and innovation. CoServ’s experience will help co-ops nationwide find and develop solar solutions that benefit their consumer-members,” said Jim Spiers, NRECA’s vice-president for business and technology strategies.
NRECA has developed modular PV system packages consisting of standardized, optimized and scalable technical designs for 250 kW, 500 kW and 1 MW systems. Fourteen co-ops nationwide are participating in NRECA’s Solar Utility Network Deployment Acceleration (SUNDA) project, developing solar arrays in 14 states using the new designs and models.
NRECA’s SUNDA partners also include the National Rural Utility Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange, PowerSecure International, Inc. (NYSE: POWR).
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national service organization that represents the nation’s more than 900 private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives, which provide service to 42 million people in 47 states.