Moapa Microgrid
On Tuesday, April 8, 2014, the Moapa Band of Paiutes Tribal Council joined with USDA officials and Stronghold Engineering in celebrating the completion of a new 252kW off-grid CPV solar hybrid system with energy storage at the Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza along Nevada’s 1-15 North. Tribal leaders noted that the lower energy costs delivered by this project will improve its business enterprise, while significantly reducing carbon emissions.
USDA Rural Utilities Service Administrator John Padalino, Nevada USDA Rural Development State Director Sarah Adler and Tribal leaders celebrated the completion of the project at the Travel Plaza. The Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza hybrid microgrid project was funded through USDA’s High Energy Cost Grant program, which provides funding for energy efficiency improvements in areas with energy costs at least 275% annually in fuel costs.
Stronghold Engineering designed, engineered and constructed the CPV hybrid system. Stronghold estimates that the project will displace an estimated 3,636,302 lbs of CO2 emissions that would otherwise pollute the atmosphere. The off-grid hybrid microgrid project utilizes nine highly efficient American-made Soitec’s Concentrix 5th generation CPV dual-axis tracking technology. The Soitec CX-S530 system is designed to improve the economics of utility-scale solar power plants in the sunniest regions of the world. Each of the trackers produces 28kW, totaling 252 kW of clean, renewable energy. In addition, the system includes a battery bank, three highly efficient Tier 4 generators, providing consistent power delivery to the Travel Plaza during evening operations.