Edisun Microgrids, Inc., Pasadena, Calif., and West Hills Construction, Inc., a Corona, Calif.-based design-build general construction firm, announced a strategic partnership to develop up to 20 MW of commercial and industrial rooftop solar projects utilizing PV Booster, Edisun’s rooftop tracking technology.
The first project developed under this partnership is a 1 MW solar array installed on 368,000 square feet of a 528,000-square-foot-cold storage industrial building in Oxnard, Calif. The project utilizes more than 2,900 trackers, what is said to be the world’s largest rooftop tracker installation. This installation is financed and owned by Harry Ross Industries (HRI), the Santa Monica, Calif.-based owner of the building, and will benefit HRI’s tenant, Chiquita Brands International, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
PV Booster is said to be the only dual-axis rooftop solar tracker specifically designed to meet the needs of commercial and industrial building owners and solar developers. By tracking the sun throughout the day, PV Booster increases energy production by 30% and enhances project economics by 20% when compared to conventional fixed-tilt installations. Through its unique, low-profile, high-strength design, PV Booster renders the wind a non-issue. The product features flexible layout design options, minimal weight per square foot and fast and easy installation, operations and maintenance, while meeting strict safety standards.
“From responsible water management to the adoption of renewable energy, environmental stewardship has been a key pillar of the Chiquita business for decades,” says Andrew Biles, president and CEO, Chiquita. “Going solar at our Oxnard facility helps us directly achieve our corporate sustainability goals and meaningfully strengthens our leadership position among environmentally conscious global organizations.”
“Partnering with a visionary company such as West Hills, which has built more than 10 million square feet of real estate and is an expert in construction and solar installation, is the first of many exciting growth milestones for Edisun,” says Bill Gross, chief executive officer, Edisun Microgrids, Inc. and founder, Idealab. “PV Booster’s technology fundamentally improves the economics of rooftop solar for developers, installers, building owners and tenants, which aligns with our core mission to revolutionize the economics of solar. We believe this increase in the value of solar projects, such as Chiquita’s Oxnard installation, will be the catalyst for the widespread adoption of solar in the C&I sector.”
