Rutgers University

Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey | 1.4 MW Ground Array

Scope of Work

SunDurance Energy recently completed the installation of a solar energy ground-mounted PV system for Rutgers University at its Livingston Campus in Piscataway, NJ.  This 1.4 megawatt (MW) solar array consists of 7,700 panels on a 7-acre site.  The system produces enough energy to account for 10% of Rutgers energy consumption for the campus and will reduce carbon emissions over 1,200 tons on an annual basis.

Brief Description of Effort

The proposed system was originally designed to utilize pre-cast concrete slab foundations to provide a stable base in which to anchor the mounting system.  After conducting a careful study of wind and soil at the site, SunDurance had to re-design the ground mounted system, implementing a more traditional approach that incorporated the use of concrete encased vertical pipe piles.  This unique design ensured the solar energy system’s foundation provided enough stability to handle the existing environmental conditions.

The Rutgers system also enjoys the benefits from the installation of the solar energy metering and monitoring system, both from an operational and educational standpoint.  The monitoring system records the total output of the solar array and alerts Rutgers if any data deviations indicate a problem with one of the arrays.  This information is extremely important to ensure continual optimization of the solar system’s overall energy production, which in turn directly impacts the University’s return on investment.  In addition to assisting Rutgers’ facilities personnel in tracking system performance to ensure the needed financial payback, the data obtained from the monitoring system will also provide valuable information to University students and faculty engaged in study of renewable energy.