Tick Tock Energy, a solar-installer headquartered in Effingham, IL, recently started work on a 962 kW one-axis solar tracking system for Starfire Industries in Champaign, IL. When complete, the system will generate approximately 1,400,000 kWh per year, utilizing a single-axis tracker commercial solar panel system consisting of over 2,000 solar panels.
Starfire Industries purchased an unoccupied building in Champaign, IL in the spring of 2022 to transform it into a 194,000 square foot technology center. Located near the University of Illinois (a top research school), nuclear physicists, PhDs, engineers, and other high-tech employees work at this site, developing and producing advanced particle physics solutions utilized in medical, electronic, printing, aerospace, and other applications.
The solar project will feature three arrays surrounding Starfire’s corporate office. The largest subarray will be constructed over an existing parking lot. The balance of solar capacity will be built on open ground on the site’s north side. Starfire is making other investments in energy-efficiency improvements as well to reduce electricity use. A one-axis solar tracking system was selected for this project to boost energy yield per unit panel. The solar project is ultimately forecasted to provide 75% of the building’s electricity needs and estimated electrical cost savings of $180,000 in the first year alone.
One specialty application Starfire manufactures is a process used by US-based solar panel company First Solar in their production of thin-film solar panels. In turn, Starfire CEO Brian Jurczyk wanted to use First Solar panels in the project. Tick Tock facilitated procurement of the 2,070 First Solar 465 Watt panels that will transform sunshine to electricity. Given increasing electricity rates, the on-site power production will help Starfire hedge against electricity inflation.
Boosting energy production per square foot was imperative to the design of the project due to site space constraints. Tick Tock selected Solar FlexRack by QCells for their reliable and efficient one-axis solar tracking system commonly used in large commercial and solar farm applications. FlexRack manufactures the 1-axis system in Ohio and utilized US-produced steel used in the rack system. Another company with locally manufactured products, Solectria, will be providing five (5) 175 kW world-class inverters made in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Additional project considerations and details can be found here.
Starfire’s investment in their solar tracker system will be offset by the federal investment tax credit (ITC), the Illinois Shines solar renewable energy credit (SREC) incentive, and Smart Inverter Rebate from Ameren.
Tick Tock Energy is a Top 500 solar installer in Illinois and the Midwest providing commercial & industrial, farm/ag, and residential customers superior high-quality solar systems with long-lasting value, turning Sunshine into Cashflow!SM. Tick Tock Energy’s mission is to educate, inspire and motivate individuals and businesses to pursue greater energy independence. More information is available at www.ticktockenergy.com or by calling (217) 994-9020.