Utah’s first solar array marks a milestone in Summit County’s sustainability efforts

About 1,000 solar panels float delicately on the surface of a pond in the Promontory Hills, resembling a clump of black and silver water lilies basking in the sun.

As daylight begins to reflect off the surface, the floating solar panel — the first in the state — will directly power the Mountain Regional Water Special Service District’s Signal Hill treatment plant, offsetting approximately 92% of the facility’s electricity use and reducing the district’s energy costs by 80%.

The innovative project took nearly a decade to develop, but a $400,000 grant from Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky program helped meet Mountain Regional Water’s funding goal. On Thursday, the participants of the ceremony ceremoniously cut the ribbon.

Now that the floating solar array is open, it marks a significant step toward sustainable energy solutions in Summit County and possibly the rest of Utah.

“A traditional ground- or rooftop solar installation was not an option for us at this facility, but this innovative floating solar installation takes advantage of untapped resources,” Chris Braun, Mountain Regional’s chief technology officer, said in a statement. “This is another piece of the puzzle for us to achieve our net zero energy goal while striving to be responsible stewards of our communities and the environment. “

Doug Evans, retired director of water and energy sustainability for the Mountain Regional Water District and one of the association’s founders, said the idea for the project came to him nearly eight years ago when he was looking for a more efficient way to run his business.

Pumping and operating treatment plants that provide the Park City area with drinking water makes Mountain Regional Water one of the largest energy consumers in Summit County. Evans estimated that it took about 10,000 horsepower to bring water from the Rockport Reservoir to the colony.

Solar energy is efficient, although it takes up a large area. Evans said workers have started looking at floating solar farms in Europe and Japan as a way to preserve open space.

Floating solar also solved another problem Mountain Regional Water was dealing with: algae. A way to solve this problem? Cut out the sun.

“(The floating solar panel) solves two problems: it improves water quality and provides the energy necessary for almost full operation of the treatment plant,” Evans explained, adding that additional energy is created by water reflection. “The panels are more efficient because they are cool. With cool water you can get a little more efficiency, so it’s a really innovative idea. I just never thought it would happen.

Water is pumped from the Rockport Reservoir and stored in Signal Hill Pond before being piped to the plant and treated. Some of the water goes to irrigation systems and golf courses, but most of the water from the Promontory plant goes to the Quinns Junction treatment plant and then to surrounding neighborhoods.

There are 1,092 solar panels floating on the pond, covering about an acre and producing almost 600 kilowatts of energy.

Stetson Tchividjian, managing director of D3Energy, said the number of panels would require at least three acres on dry land.

“This innovative approach allows us to find a balance between energy needs and care for the environment. This is an example of how we can harness the power of the sun while nurturing and protecting the beautiful landscape that surrounds us,” said Tchividjian. “It shows we can do it.”

Shawn Grant, senior customer solutions program manager at Rocky Mountain Power, praised the partnership as a way to use energy differently. This is the focus of the Blue Sky program, which provides financing from over 50,000 customers involved in renewable energy projects.

Ameresco, a clean technology integrator specializing in energy-efficient and renewable energy, was awarded the contract to design and install a floating solar system. The system is designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 384 tons per year, which is the equivalent of saving 43,211 gallons of gasoline per year or preventing the burning of 430,160 pounds of coal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJCmjJ7xaSs

Construction was completed by Ogden-based Apollo Energy. Crews began work in June, half of which involved building floats for the solar panels and the rest of which involved assembling the system, and finished several weeks earlier than expected.

David Tsytsyn, operations manager, said this is a unique project that aligns with Apollo Energy’s creative, innovative mission.

Summit County Sustainability Program Manager Emily Quinton was also excited about what the project means for local green energy. The county courthouse has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from county operations to 80% below 2016 levels over the next 16 years.

The county also wants to transition to 100% net renewable electricity for county operations and have renewable energy readily available and widely used throughout the county by 2032, according to Quinton.