The San Francisco Sunset Reservoir Solar project is a 5-Megawatt system, one of the largest  municipal solar projects in the country. Interactive Resources, Inc. was retained by BASS Electric to provide structural engineering design services for the project, including structural design services for the anchorage of arrays, inverter anchorage, inverter foundations and associated retaining wall. The completed project includes 28,000 solar panels on the rooftop of the eight-block reservoir. Over the 25-year life of the project, the system will reduce carbon emissions by more than 109,000 metric tons. Its impact is equivalent to taking more than 1,000 typical San Francisco residences off the grid.

Completed in 2009, the Sunset District project tripled San Francisco’s solar output at that time. A significant challenge was the design of the collector anchors to resist wind loads and preserve the integrity of the expansive roof. Interactive Resources, Inc. was instrumental in developing a low profile pad concept to support the inverter that was cost-effective and site-appropriate.

More information: http://www.basselectric.net/sunset-reservoir/

Photos courtesy of Bass Electric