At the 144 MW Bookers project in Farnham, Alabama, Strata helped Dominion Energy hit ambitious energy and capacity targets on a site most developers would avoid. By challenging industry defaults and tailoring the design to steep terrain, rocky soils, and wetlands, we delivered more production and lower costs from the same footprint.
The Challenge: Tough Terrain, High Expectations
The Bookers site combined complex topography, rocky soils, and sensitive wetlands and streams. Dominion needed meaningful energy and capacity from this location, but the ground conditions made conventional single-axis solar tracker layouts costly and less efficient.
The Solution: 2-High Solar Trackers, Site-Specific Design
Instead of defaulting to standard 1-high single-axis solar trackers, we deployed single-axis trackers in a 2-high portrait configuration. This allowed us to build more densely while still maintaining usable aisles for construction and long-term maintenance. The shorter row lengths reduced grading needs on sloped and uneven ground, cutting earthwork and environmental disturbance.
The 2-high solar trackers also use fewer foundations per megawatt, which delivered a clear advantage in rocky soils where drilling and foundations are more expensive and time-consuming. By aligning tracker choice with the actual site conditions, we increased layout efficiency and lowered installed cost per megawatt.
Result: More Output, Less Groundwork
Strata’s willingness to rethink the standard layout turned a difficult site into a productive asset. This helped Dominion Energy meet its targets while reducing grading, minimizing foundation counts, and preserving access for operations teams. Bookers demonstrates how we use engineering, construction, and operations expertise to match each site, and customer, to the solution that delivers the most value.
