
Location | Fort Collins, Colorado |
System Type | Photovoltaic (PV) |
System Size | 37 kW |
Installation Cost | ~$125,000 |
Project Completion | 2021 |
Project Savings | ~51 MWh/year, ~$150,000 over the project life |
Load Service Area | USDA ARS Research Farm |
Project Champions | Sandy Morgan and William Prange |
FEMP Assistance | Feasibility study, design development, design review, request for proposal development, and contract award |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Research Farm in Fort Collins, Colorado, conducts research and development on sugarbeet germplasm to support industry and university breeding efforts. The farm's 37-kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) system will provide 100% of the site's electricity, making it the third USDA ARS site to achieve "net-zero electricity." The inverter equipment installed will allow for a future installation of a battery energy storage system (BESS), which could reduce energy demand costs and potentially provide backup power in the event of grid outages. The system's contractor used PV modules that were Buy American Act compliant and tested for quality and safety by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.