Sherrick/Woolpert JV, LLC, a joint venture started under the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) Mentor-Protégé program, was contracted to design and build a 63-kilowatt (kW) maximum peak electrical production, photovoltaic (PV) array at a military installation in Ohio. The joint-venture team designed and installed 972 solar panels to expand on the base’s existing 106kW PV array being used for alternative electric power. Project components included all permitting, site work and preparation, foundations, framing, PV solar panel installation, electrical distribution system design, and integration and upgrades to the existing structure.

The project team coordinated with government and power company officials to safely expand and tie into the base’s high-voltage electric distribution and energy management systems. Benefits of the project include reduced dependency on conventional fuel services, energy independence and increased stationary backup power reliability. To further increase energy independence, Woolpert also planned and designed the installation of a 500kW wind turbine at the site.