Arizona-based solar technology company Erthos has signed a master agreement with developer Sky Community Solar (SCS) on a 180MW community solar portfolio in Texas, US.
The project size for the portfolio will range between 9MW to 18MW of capacity and be located near the state’s major population centres.
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Erthos was selected for the portfolio due to the module design of its Earth Mount Solar technology, which places the PV modules flat on the ground, removing the need for driven piles and steel tracking structures.
This reduces installation time and materials needed, while simplifying operations and maintenance of the projects, the company said. Erthos claims this results in lower levelised cost of energy (LCOE) and allows developers to maximise their project returns.
Construction of the first project is slated to start later in the year, with the entire portfolio expected to reach commercial operation by the end of 2026.
“Having a simple master agreement for the entire portfolio was only possible because of the uniform simplicity of Earth Mount Solar,” said Dudy Levy, partner at Sky Community Solar. “With tracker systems, site-specific factors like row spacing and subsurface conditions cause each site to be unique, making master agreements impractical. With Erthos, every site is the same.”
Last September, Erthos secured US$24 million in funding, led by investment group Capricorn’s Technology Impact Funds which will allow the Arizona-based solar tech company to accelerate its growth.
