As more than 15,000 solar professionals enter the halls of this year’s Solar Power International conference, there will be 7,908 solar panels over their heads. This, the largest city-owned, convention center solar system in North America, spans across exhibit halls A, B and C at the Anaheim Convention Center. The 300,000-sq. ft array adds an actual solar element to the industry’s annual solar show, this year held in the top solar state.
It took four months for Borrego Solar Systems to install the 2.4-MW project, eventually finishing in August 2014. The Yingli modules, Advanced Energy inverters and SunLink mounting were installed last year while the convention center was in use, so flexibility with construction was key.
“To minimize any impact on the day-to-day operations of the Anaheim Convention Center, Borrego Solar implemented an adaptable work plan,” said Mike Daugherty, project manager at Borrego Solar. “The Convention Center operations staff were a big part of our success. We had regular meetings and an open dialogue to deal with complications before they posed a problem.”
Borrego Solar met with convention center staff weekly to discuss upcoming events the solar crews would have to work around. By establishing a long-term construction schedule that worked around convention events, Borrego Solar was able to have little impact on the center’s daily operations. Project management would stagger workloads on top of each exhibit hall, for example, if an event was setting up below. At some points, there were up to 60 people working on the roof at the same time (electricians, fencers, roofers, concrete workers, installers, etc.) to avoid interferences with downstairs events.
Anaheim Public Utilities purchased the system for $5.7 million to include in its renewable energy portfolio. The convention center will be the primary user of the generated electricity, and extra energy will be fed onto the grid. This helps to establish the Anaheim Convention Center as one of the “greenest” in the country. The LEED-certified building also has an on-site recycling program, composting facility, rooftop herb garden and a farm-to-fork culinary program.
SPI attendees wishing to get an up-close view of the array can sign up for a tour on Thurs., Sept. 17 at 9 a.m., with representatives from Anaheim Public Utilities, Anaheim Convention Center and Borrego Solar. More information can be found at solarpowerinternational.com.
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