North Carolina State University DOE Technology Demonstration Project

System Capacity: 75.6 kW dc
Commissioned: October 2007
Location: Raleigh NC
Developer & Owner/Operator: Carolina Solar Energy
Utility Offtaker: Progress Energy

In October 2007 Carolina Solar Energy built and began operating a 75.6 kW dc solar farm on Lot 86 at NC State University opposite the RBC Arena in Raleigh NC. The project is located on top of a “brownfield” that was a former agricultural pesticide landfill.

The electricity generated is sold to Progress Energy under an avoided-cost contract and the renewable energy certificates (RECs), for the first five years of operation, were sold to NC GreenPower under a separate. This project won a prestigious US Department of Energy “Brownfields to Brightfields” Technology Demonstration Grant which helped CSE cover the extra costs of permitting a project on a “brownfield” and developing a unique foundation system that did not disturb the landfill. Instead of grading and digging into the site for concrete foundations, a recycled plastic foundation system designed by SunEdison allowed the solar arrays to be constructed and ballasted on top of the existing uneven ground.

The project consists of 432 ground mounted, high-efficiency SolarWorld 175 Watt PV panels arranged in 12 arrays of 36 collectors each.