The 2.4-megawatt Solar Photovoltaic Ground Mounted Array is located in Memorial Park at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. The intent of the commissioning effort was to help ensure an operable, maintainable, and sustainable solar photovoltaic system.
The installation is the largest solar array owned by a Wisconsin agency and will make the university the sixth-highest on-site producer of renewable energy among higher education institutions in the United States. The campus already has several small solar arrays on two buildings, as well as a 20-kilowatt wind turbine.
GBA witnessed specified third-party testing of the Solar Photovoltaic Ground Mounted Array system:
- Non-export relay functionality and curtailment scheme.
- IV Curve trace on all DC homeruns (string inputs landed on the inverter).
- Thermal imagery scans on major AC components (panelboards, fuses, disconnects, and breakers).
- Performance analysis for the solar array and inverters.
The project is expected to offset campus electricity use by 17%, saving the university $217,000 annually and reducing carbon emissions by 2,300 tons per year.
