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Powered by the sun

Solar array installation underway at Little Wall Lake Park

The newly installed solar array panels at Little Wall Lake Park are pictured above. This project is scheduled to be completed this month.

Campers and visitors to Little Wall Lake Park will notice something new at the park this summer. Installation is nearly complete on a series of solar array panels that will provide electricity at the park. The solar array panels are mounted in two rows at the north side of the park.

According to Brian Lammers, Hamilton County Conservation director, Hamilton County is projected to save an estimated $6,000 per year at the park with the addition of solar energy measures.

“It saves them on their electricity bill,” Logan Welch, renewable energy specialist with Van Meter said. “What they’re able to do is buy power at a reduced rate, saving them money on their bottom line right off the bat.”

The county began brainstorming ways to offset this cost nearly four years ago. The Hamilton County Board of Supervisors approved a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Eagle Point Solar, of Dubuque. The project is funded through the lease agreement.

“There is no out-of-pocket cost to the county,” said Lammers.

The racking that the solar arrays panels were placed on at Little Wall Lake Park are shown at right. The project will save Hamilton County an estimated $6,000 per year in utility costs at the park.

“Eagle Point Solar and the Hamilton County Supervisors were in talks about a way to offset some of their electrical usage, some creative ways to do that through solar,” said Welch. “Eagle Point Solar offers a very interesting and economically appealing way to do that and that is through Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).”

Instead of the county paying Alliant Energy for their electrical usage, they will pay any usage due to Eagle Point Solar. Eagle Point Solar, a registered LLC, can receive tax credits for this and will in turn be paying Alliant Energy instead of the county directly paying Alliant Energy.

Eagle Point Solar partnered with Van Meter, who provided technical support, consulting, and materials for the project.

“Eagle Point Solar was awarded the contract and they were able to design and partner with Van Meter to procure the material and help with the layout of the array,” said Welch. “Eagle Point Solar is a customer of mine. We’re in a partnership. They’re one of our preferred solar installers throughout the Midwest,” said Welch.

The array has an estimated 384 modules that will total 118,000 watts of power instantaneously.

Welch estimates the arrays to produce 175,000 kilowatt hours per year.

“I praise the county supervisors for stepping into the renewable world and using that as a way to save money for the county and also the environment,” Welch said.

The modules are wired into the electrical distribution system for the park. Then instead of buying the power from Alliant Energy, the park will use the power it creates locally on the grid.

Last week the racking (the skeleton of the array) was placed. This week the modules are being mounted at the park. The electricians are also installing the inverters, which will turn the D/C solar power into A/C power.

“They’ll see an instant savings on their electric bill as soon as they flip the switch,” said Welch. “That’s in addition to environmental savings. The carbon footprint is greatly reduced.”

The modules change photons (sun rays) into electrons which can power different parts of the park.

“This is the largest solar array in Hamilton County by far,” Welch said. “It’s just great to have that here.”

Welch noted the importance of the completion of this project.

“Why this is so important? It really puts right in your face solar energy.,” said Welch. “It’s mounted in the perfect position on the north side of Little Wall Lake Park, facing the lake. It’s out of the way, not taking up any of the actual park itself.”

The materials used in the project are estimated to be long-lasting.

“This array will be there for a very long time,” Welch said. “The products themselves have a 25-year warranty and solar arrays usually last way longer than the warranty is.”

Now, not only will the park provide recreational benefits to locals and visitors to Hamilton County, but also education benefits.

“I think it will be a great educational tool for our Hamilton County School systems,” said Welch. “I think it being located in a park, something that you can walk up to and monitor the data and electricity it’s producing online, is something I think the local high schools and technology classes should look into talking to the county about using it as an educational tool.”

Welch is excited about what the future of solar energy will look like in Hamilton County after the completion of the county’s biggest project to date.

“This reminds people in Hamilton County how economically and environmentally viable solar energy is,” said Welch. “I’m just super proud and excited to have an array like that in our county for us to possibly model other projects off of.”

“It’s been interesting and educational as we’ve gone through this,” Lammers said. “We look forward to having an open house in the future.”

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