The marketing language makes it hard to tell how, if at all, these panels are secured to the ground. They make it seem like there's no ground anchoring and that's why they're cheaper to install....
The marketing language makes it hard to tell how, if at all, these panels are secured to the ground. They make it seem like there's no ground anchoring and that's why they're cheaper to install. But from a practical standpoint it feels like they've got to be oversimplifying what's going on because no ground anchoring sounds insane unless these systems are really heavy. From what I understand, gusting wind can create tremendous force, and the local wind speed will be even faster without vegetation to break up the flow.
So surely there's some anchoring somewhere, right? O.o
Interesting to see a no row spacing system. Nothing can grow around the panels (compared to things like agrovoltaics which are super cool), but I guess you also need less land for power production, so that's nice.
Oddly enough, I was distracted by whether this is set in Fresno, CA or NM or TX... Or others. One is my hometown, but the wind issue and vegetation would definitely play into the CA vs TX options...
Oddly enough, I was distracted by whether this is set in Fresno, CA or NM or TX... Or others. One is my hometown, but the wind issue and vegetation would definitely play into the CA vs TX options (I am unfamiliar with NM's Fresno). CA will likely have lower wind options than TX, and is dryer and wouldn't have nearly as much of a vegetation issue.
My guess is they rely in part on wind being unable to get under the panels. And if they interlock, it seems like that’s a lot of weight, total? There are probably lots of interesting design...
My guess is they rely in part on wind being unable to get under the panels. And if they interlock, it seems like that’s a lot of weight, total?
There are probably lots of interesting design criteria. Maybe frost if it gets cold at night? Can it handle the ground freezing?
They could do without steel framing, but they will need to prepare the site by flattening it.
I definitely think there's strength coming from the interlocking. That said, wind not being able to get under them does alleviate the lifting issue, it potentially makes it worse too (worse in the...
I definitely think there's strength coming from the interlocking. That said, wind not being able to get under them does alleviate the lifting issue, it potentially makes it worse too (worse in the sense that the force gets greater). It's the same affect that cause high winds (like from tornados) to rip roofs off houses. High speed air is at a lower pressure than the non-moving air (like under the panels) which created an over all upward force on the panels. The faster the air, the great the force. So if you have fast wind over the whole field, there would be the chance of it potentially getting lifted up if the overall weight of the panels and any anchoring isn't enough to counter it.
But again, maybe something about this design is enough to maintain enough downward force to prevent movement. That said, this is not my area of engineering experience by any means, so I'm sure there's something I'm overlooking. I'll have to think of if I know someone I can send this to and get their thoughts on it.
You point on flattening makes me wonder how the system will handle things like ground settling and erosion over time. Probably wouldn't take a lot of ground shifting to cause the system to buckle and shift which could put a lot of stress on panels towards the center. I don't think that's really a problem when you have a more typical design that has space between the panels.
the site is not that big, the ground was prepared and it seems to be anchored with concrete. this seems to be a cheap solution for flat places with no astetic or acricultural uses.
the site is not that big, the ground was prepared and it seems to be anchored with concrete. this seems to be a cheap solution for flat places with no astetic or acricultural uses.
They have 3d models on the site but it's still unclear how the panels interlock, they do mention that they go directly on top of the ground ("Yes, directly on the earth")...
They have 3d models on the site but it's still unclear how the panels interlock, they do mention that they go directly on top of the ground ("Yes, directly on the earth")
From the article: [...] [...] [...] It's solar, but the aesthetic is rather "pave the earth." Nothing will grow there. Maybe aesthetics aren't that important.
From the article:
Erthos distills the complexity of solar energy systems into a modular, repeatable design. Unlike traditional ground-mounted solar energy systems supported by structural steel, Erthos’ Earth Mount Solar system places modules directly on the earth, which allows solar project developers to eliminate all the costs required to procure and install structural steel. Leveraging Erthos technology, ForeFront Power was able to reduce its total cost to develop its solar energy system and pass those savings to the City of Fresno in the form of lower electricity rates.
ForeFront Power approached Erthos in 2023 when a combination of inflation and supply shocks caused the price of labor and materials to spike. The ForeFront Power team realized that the cost of a traditional ground-mounted system at this site would be significantly higher. This in turn would increase the cost of the electricity that ForeFront Power would sell back to the City of Fresno through a Power Purchase Agreement. Under the terms of the Agreement, ForeFront Power owns the system and charges the City a fixed, lower rate for electricity than the utility for 20 years.
[...]
Since the system entered commercial operation in late March 2026, the system has consistently outperformed expectations, operating at an average of 101% of expected energy production and has already delivered 862 MWh of energy to the City. ForeFront Power and Erthos continue to work closely together to optimize system performance. Both organizations are encouraged by the project’s early results and outlook for continued strong performance in the years ahead.
[...]
In addition to avoiding material and labor costs from structural steel, ForeFront Power was able to achieve a higher generating capacity per acre thanks to the unique architecture of Erthos systems. With no row spacing, Erthos offers the highest energy density of any solar architecture in the industry. Another unique feature of Erthos Earth Mount Solar system is that, although the solar modules are mounted flat on the earth, they can follow contours up to 15% slope, meaning they were adaptable to the natural topography of the Fresno site.
[...]
Custom-designed for use on an Earth Mount Solar array, the ErthBot cleaner is deployed nightly as needed and returns to its charging dock after each use, ready to be deployed again the following evening. Erthos handles the operations and maintenance of the ErthBot as part of its Energy Services Agreement with ForeFront Power.
It's solar, but the aesthetic is rather "pave the earth." Nothing will grow there.
Yes, it does matter. But the panels are getting cheaper, so if you have the room, you can install more of them to make up for it. As the cost of the panels themselves drops, all the surrounding...
Yes, it does matter. But the panels are getting cheaper, so if you have the room, you can install more of them to make up for it. As the cost of the panels themselves drops, all the surrounding costs become more important, such as the cost of installing them.
The marketing language makes it hard to tell how, if at all, these panels are secured to the ground. They make it seem like there's no ground anchoring and that's why they're cheaper to install. But from a practical standpoint it feels like they've got to be oversimplifying what's going on because no ground anchoring sounds insane unless these systems are really heavy. From what I understand, gusting wind can create tremendous force, and the local wind speed will be even faster without vegetation to break up the flow.
So surely there's some anchoring somewhere, right? O.o
Interesting to see a no row spacing system. Nothing can grow around the panels (compared to things like agrovoltaics which are super cool), but I guess you also need less land for power production, so that's nice.
Oddly enough, I was distracted by whether this is set in Fresno, CA or NM or TX... Or others. One is my hometown, but the wind issue and vegetation would definitely play into the CA vs TX options (I am unfamiliar with NM's Fresno). CA will likely have lower wind options than TX, and is dryer and wouldn't have nearly as much of a vegetation issue.
My guess is they rely in part on wind being unable to get under the panels. And if they interlock, it seems like that’s a lot of weight, total?
There are probably lots of interesting design criteria. Maybe frost if it gets cold at night? Can it handle the ground freezing?
They could do without steel framing, but they will need to prepare the site by flattening it.
I definitely think there's strength coming from the interlocking. That said, wind not being able to get under them does alleviate the lifting issue, it potentially makes it worse too (worse in the sense that the force gets greater). It's the same affect that cause high winds (like from tornados) to rip roofs off houses. High speed air is at a lower pressure than the non-moving air (like under the panels) which created an over all upward force on the panels. The faster the air, the great the force. So if you have fast wind over the whole field, there would be the chance of it potentially getting lifted up if the overall weight of the panels and any anchoring isn't enough to counter it.
But again, maybe something about this design is enough to maintain enough downward force to prevent movement. That said, this is not my area of engineering experience by any means, so I'm sure there's something I'm overlooking. I'll have to think of if I know someone I can send this to and get their thoughts on it.
You point on flattening makes me wonder how the system will handle things like ground settling and erosion over time. Probably wouldn't take a lot of ground shifting to cause the system to buckle and shift which could put a lot of stress on panels towards the center. I don't think that's really a problem when you have a more typical design that has space between the panels.
the site is not that big, the ground was prepared and it seems to be anchored with concrete. this seems to be a cheap solution for flat places with no astetic or acricultural uses.
They have 3d models on the site but it's still unclear how the panels interlock, they do mention that they go directly on top of the ground ("Yes, directly on the earth")
https://erthos.com/earth-mount-solar
From the article:
[...]
[...]
[...]
It's solar, but the aesthetic is rather "pave the earth." Nothing will grow there.
Maybe aesthetics aren't that important.
I’m in Fresno now
Aesthetics aren’t important
It’s a flat wasteland
I always thought the angle of the panels was important to archive maximum efficiency, but I might be wrong about this.
Yes, it does matter. But the panels are getting cheaper, so if you have the room, you can install more of them to make up for it. As the cost of the panels themselves drops, all the surrounding costs become more important, such as the cost of installing them.