Solar Farm
Reusable Temporary Construction Entrance Used For Short Term Projects
Background
Approved in 2012, the Georgia Power’s Advance Solar Initiative is a solar program that was designed to establish an additional 210 MW of solar energy to the Georgia power grid. The program offered small scale purchase programs as well as competitive rates to utility scale solar farms. This program has helped to spur renewable energy developments and diversify the state’s energy sources.
One project completed in 2016 is a utility scale 21.2 MW solar field owned and maintained by AES Distributed Energy. Located in Rincon on the eastern border of Georgia, over 67,000 individual solar panels follow the suns path through the sky using single-axis trackers. These solar arrays are working to provide over 16 million kWh to Georgia residents annually.
Ongoing Service Requiring Construction Entrance
MaxGen Energy Services, a nationwide service provider, provides preventative and corrective maintenance as well as immediate responses during emergencies. The solar farm site spans 12 million square feet and requires access by service vehicles to provide these critical tasks. Georgia receives abundant rainfall throughout the year causing service workers to frequently encounter muddy conditions. To remain compliant with Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans, a stabilized construction entrance is required to prevent erosion and sediment from tracking out onto roadways.
To prevent trackout, traditional stabilized construction entrances use rock tracking pads which are built at each location where access is required. These entrances are used temporarily to complete repairs, such as replacing utility poles or malfunctioning panels. After the repairs are complete the rock tracking pads must be removed and disposed of. Service companies also remediate any damages to the grass, topsoil or other natural features that were disturbed.
Reusable Construction Entrance Used On Multiple Locations
To better serve their clients, MaxGen uses FODS mats to provide trackout control for their repairs. FODS Trackout Control Mats can be secured to any substrate with minimal preparation and can be installed in as little as 20 minutes. When the tasks are complete the mats can be transported to the next location for reuse. The ease of transport and installation can dramatically increase efficiency of maintenance tasks and decrease total response time for time sensitive repairs.
Additionally, the mats sit on top of the substrate, so topsoil does not need to be removed, replaced or reseeded. Because natural features encounter minimal disturbance, less time and cost are required after the repairs are completed. Compared to using traditional stabilized construction entrances, MaxGen has saves time, costs and causes less environmental impact when serving their clients.
In the competitive energy marketplace, FODS reusable construction entrances are helping contractors and service providers to lower the total cost to implement and maintain solar farms. We believe reusable and renewable go hand in hand. Being fully recyclable and built with post-consumer material, FODS mats help to reduce waste while protecting our water resources from pollution.
ABOUT FODS, LLC.
Based in Englewood Colorado, FODS Trackout Control System replaces ineffective and costly traditional rock stabilized construction entrances, saving you valuable time and money. Our proprietary mat design works to effectively remove mud and sediment from your vehicle tires without damaging the tire or the ground’s surface. We provide the only durable, reusable, and environmentally friendly trackout control system currently available on the market. FODS Trackout Control Mats are 100% Made in the USA and are reusable and recyclable.