How do you take a 365 kW commercial solar project from a customer conversation to steel in the ground?
In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague goes behind the scenes of a 365 kW commercial solar project for Griffin Beverage in West Branch, Michigan, with Jordan Rhyne of Countryside Energy and Kyle Sinclair of Sinclair Designs & Engineering.
The project brought together domestic-content solar modules, custom racking engineering, structural analysis, field installation lessons, and a challenging interconnection process with Consumers Energy.
Jordan and Kyle walk through what it took to make the project work, including why the customer wanted a truly domestic solar system, how First Solar Series 7 modules changed the racking design, and what the team learned from taking the system from engineering drawings into the field.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Countryside Energy identified Griffin Beverage as a strong commercial solar customer
• Why the customer prioritized a truly domestically sourced solar array
• How First Solar Series 7 modules created unique racking and engineering challenges
• Why the racking team developed a purpose-built bracket and clip connection
• How structural analysis and FEA helped validate the module-to-racking connection
• What installers need to consider when working with frameless thin-film modules
• Lessons from module handling, breakage, installation speed, and field tolerances
• What EPCs should know before taking on their first First Solar Series 7 project
The 365 kW system was designed to offset 110% of the facility's load, the maximum allowed by Consumers Energy for the project. The team also had to coordinate an upgrade of the site's service transformer from 250 kVA to 500 kVA before the system could be energized.
Connect with Guests
Jordan Rhyne | LinkedIn
Kyle Sinclair | LinkedIn
Learn more about Sinclair Designs & Engineering:
https://www.sinclair-designs.com/
Learn more about Countryside Energy:
https://countryside-energy.com/
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The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America’s number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com
