Central Valley Business Times

Verdegaal Brothers Inc. says the Sun is replacing the electric company when it comes to providing power for its fertilizer and soil amendment company in Hanford.

The plant recently switched on its 188-kilowatt solar power system that includes ground mounted thin-film photovoltaic panels on a one-acre site.

The company estimates the solar power system will also mean over $350,000 in tax incentives, cash rebates and accelerated market depreciation while saving about $60,000 in annual energy costs.

It will offset Verdegaal Brothers' utility bills by 99 percent and meet 82 percent of the company's energy needs, says the firm that installed the system, Conergy Inc., of Santa Fe, N.M., the U.S. subsidiary of Conergy AG of Hamburg, Germany.

The thin film system was selected for its ability to optimize energy output in hot, dusty conditions, Conergy says.

The project was finished on time and on budget despite unanticipated construction challenges.

"The land set aside for the project included an old settling pond whose soil was conditioned to act more like concrete than dirt," says David Vincent, West Coast development manager for Conergy. "That nearly-impenetrable soil destroyed three 18-inch boring bits in the process of installing our solar racking."

"We purchased the solar energy system to meet our power needs in a way that improves our bottom line as well as the quality of the air, water and land in our community," says Russ Verdegaal, president of the Hanford company. "We're encouraging others in the region to consider the benefits of solar for their businesses as well."

Mr. Vincent says the thin film solar cells are less susceptible to cell temperature increases and are capable of producing more electricity under high ambient temperatures. "They also convert low and diffused light to electricity more efficiently. This is a benefit for Verdegaal in meeting its energy needs because surplus, peak-time energy produced by the Conergy system is credited back to Verdegaal's utility bill," he says.

Verdegaal Brothers Inc. is located in a California-designated Enterprise Zone, which, pending interpretation from the Franchise Tax Board, would allow a tax credit for sales tax on the purchase of the solar array, says Conergy.