Cameron Park Residential Solar Rack
Cameron Park, Calif.

The Cameron Park residential ground-mount array enabled the homeowners to achieve energy independence at a very challenging location in northern California. The project is located on a five-acre parcel atop a hill with a dense cover of heritage oak trees and limited solar exposure. The architecturally designed house has delicate clay tile roofing and poor orientation for solar panels, meaning a rooftop array was out of the question. Both functionality and aesthetics were critical.

The solution was a free-standing rack in an area with the greatest southern exposure. The rack was elevated (12 to 22 feet) to minimize shade from the nearby oak trees and protect the panels from falling debris.

Another significant challenge was that the location required a separate power meter because it was too far from the residence and existing meter. The two systems needed to be interconnected by the local utility provider through a Net Energy Metering agreement so that the solar production would be tied to all other meters on the property, which is also a small farm operation. A home battery pack ensures energy independence and uninterrupted service to the residence, home office, storage facilities, water supply and a vehicle charging station.

Name: Cameron Park Residential Solar Rack
Location: Cameron Park, Calif.
Installation date: 2016
Installer: Creative Recreational Systems, Inc.
Capacity: 11kW
Module type: KW QPlush 325W with back reflection
Number of modules: 18
Inverter type: APsystems YC500-A
Number of microinverters: nine