Energy Interns Complete Solar Installation
UM Energy Technology students Ryan Parks and Robert Holter interned with Simple Power’s owner Mark Dickson and crew Brad Stevens, Jona Malo, Lyle Pilon, and Mike McCraken to install the Montana’s largest PV array to this point. The array weighs in at 70KW of output and is located on a private ranch near Choteau Montana. The grid tie array utilizing Sanyo panels and Fronius inverters is not only the largest in the state but it is the first in the area to use the German manufactured Solar Linea (by Conergy) rack system. According to owner Mark Dickerson “the install went very well, the crew worked well together and the installation came together with few problems in the field showing the benefit of having time to think through the design and implementation of project anticipating most all of the problems prior to starting. The system has gone through the final commissioning process and has an output of 105% of the expected rated output, and the new owner is very satisfied stating “I feel like we really have done something here!”