Photo: www.redrok.com

 The city of Chico boasts the world’s largest solar tracking array at its water pollution control plant, we are told by the company that created it, Powerlight Corp. A solar tracking array does the same thing as more conventional solar, using the sun to create energy, just differently.  The clean energy generated by the 1.1-megawatt facility has already saved the city an estimated 1.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) per year, the company said.  This would be the same as removing CO2 emissions from an estimated 160 passenger cars annually.   

At a ceremony held by the city this week to dedicate the year-old facility, PG&E presented the city with a solar rebate check for $3,813,791 – the largest single solar rebate ever awarded by PG&E, the company said.  Solar tracking systems differs from standard fixed mounted photovoltaic (PV) system in that they track the sun’s course throughout the day, maximizing the system’s electricity output.