ForeFront Power has brought a new solar system online at a water treatment plant in Fresno, California. The project uses Erthos\u2019 Earth Mount Solar technology to cut construction costs and increase power density.<\/p>\n
The system entered commercial operation in late March 2026. It has since produced 862 megawatt-hours of electricity for the City of Fresno.<\/p>\n
The installation sits at the Northeast Surface Water Treatment Plant. It forms part of a larger renewable energy program covering three Fresno water facilities.<\/p>\n
Solar skips traditional steel<\/p>\n
Erthos\u2019 system takes a different approach to ground-mounted solar construction. Its photovoltaic modules sit directly on the ground instead of using conventional steel racking.<\/p>\n
That design removes much of the steel procurement and installation work found in traditional solar projects. ForeFront Power also avoided costly civil upgrades at the Fresno site.<\/p>\n
Those savings helped make the project financially viable during a period of high labor and material costs. ForeFront Power can then offer Fresno electricity at a fixed rate through a 20-year power purchase agreement.<\/p>\n
The system also packs more generation into each acre. Erthos says its layout eliminates conventional row spacing between solar modules.<\/p>\n
The panels can also follow terrain with slopes reaching 15 percent. That feature helped the system adapt to the site\u2019s existing topography without requiring major changes to the land.<\/p>\n
Early output beats expectations<\/p>\n
Performance has given the project an encouraging start. The solar array has generated energy at an average of 101 percent of its expected output.<\/p>\n
ForeFront Power expects the broader Fresno portfolio to deliver major savings for local ratepayers. The three projects total 27 megawatts of DC capacity.<\/p>\n
The portfolio should save more than $122 million in electricity costs through 2045. Those installations combine solar generation with smart battery<\/a> storage.<\/p>\n Erinne Davis, a senior project manager at ForeFront Power, said the site suited Erthos\u2019 approach. The technology helped the team avoid expensive construction work that could have stalled the project.<\/p>\n She said those avoided costs helped the Fresno installation move forward. They also allowed the project to offer electricity at a lower rate than the local utility.<\/p>\n Robots handle solar cleaning<\/p>\n The Fresno system also uses an autonomous robot for routine panel cleaning. Erthos maintains the array under an energy services agreement with ForeFront Power.<\/p>\n The ErthBot uses a dry nylon brush to clean the photovoltaic modules. Each unit can service more than 3.5 megawatts of solar capacity.<\/p>\n