U.S.-based solar developer Noria Energy has begun construction of a tracker for a 50 kW floating solar pilot project at Fairmount Reservoir in Golden, Colorado. The Aurea Solar project, developed for the Consolidated Mutual Water Company (CMWC), will power onsite pumps that regulate the water supply.
According to Noria Energy, the project is the first in the U.S. to demonstrate tracking technology on water. Built with Noria’s AquaPhi system, the solar islands rotate to follow the sun , increasing energy output by 10-20%. Unlike conventional floating solar, which is static, the system can also be retrofitted to existing projects.