Northshire Standard Offer Project Nearly Complete

We are excited to report that installation of the Northshire SPEED Standard Offer solar photovoltaic project is nearly complete.  All the modules have been installed and CVPS will be on site early next week to build the interconnection.  The goal is to have the project online before the end of the year, and it looks like Northshire will meet that goal.

The Northshire project is being developed by the Northshire Bookstore, our beloved independent and family-owned bookstore that has been enriching the local community in Manchester Center, Vermont since 1976.  The array is located on the roof of the Northshire Bookstore, but unfortunately, the modules are not readily visible from the street below.

 Northshire Bookstore in Manchester Center, Vermont

The Northshire project is a rack mounted ballasted 16 kW array comprised of 72 Canadian Solar CS6P 235 polycrystalline 235 watt modules.  It is a low-angle installation with PanelClaw mounting situating the modules at a 10 degree tilt angle in order to minimize wind load and the additional ballasting necessary to counterbalance that load, which could increase the weight of the system on the roof significantly.  The system utilizes two 7,000 watt SMA Sunny Boy string inverters, each of which is wired to three strings of a series of twelve modules. 

 Chad from ReKnew hard at work

John Spencer, Executive Director of VEPP Inc., and Zac from ReKnew hard at work

A "sub-array" on the top of the Northshire Bookstore with Mount Equinox in the background

The installation is being completed by ReKnew Energy Systems, which also did the Advance Transit SPEED Standard Offer Project in White River Junction, Vermont.  The first step in the installation process involved bringing in a Solar Pathfinder to assess shading patterns.  The Solar Pathfinder combines site specific shading data with global weather data to develop an analysis of the solar characteristics of the site.

WattMetrics from Bethel, Vermont will be placing an interactive public kiosk in the Northshire Bookstore with a display that cycles through several screens showing the current system output and various environmental equivalents.  A touchable menu will allow customers to interactively explore the various attributes of the solar array generating electricity on the roof above them.  The kiosk will provide a tangible representation for customers to see what the democratization of energy production looks like, and just maybe, they too will be inspired to pop a solar panel on their roof.

I cannot end this article without thanking Zac Kerin, the extremely knowledgeable Operations Manager for ReKnew who designed the Northshire system, for taking the time to show us the array (more than once) and for answering my 1,000 questions.  Thank you, Zac!

And of course, a plug for ReKnew Energy Systems, a family-owned Vermont company out of White River Junction.  ReKnew Energy Systems designs and installs solar hot water and solar electric systems throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, and Western Massachusetts.  They provide high quality systems for homeowners, businesses, non-profits, schools, and municipalities.  Please visit them at www.ReKnewEnergy.com.

 Module installation complete! Photo Credit: Zachary Kerin

Posted by C. Alderman