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 PurchaseAgreement.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.
“After conducting our due diligence and vetting Erthos technology, we discovered that the Northeast Surface Water Treatment Plant was an optimal site for an Erthos application,” said Erinne Davis, senior project manager at ForeFront Power. “Erthos helped us avoid significant, expensive civil upgrades, as well as the cost of steel for racking and the labor to install that racking. Realizing these savings on the installation is what enabled the project at this site to move forward.”
The Erthos Earth Mount Solar system is part of a sprawling solar energy and smart battery storage portfolio that ForeFront Power developed for the City of Fresno’s Department of Public Utilities (DPU) at three sites: the Northeast Surface Water Treatment Facility, the Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility, and the Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility. At a combined 27 MW-DC in size, the DPU projects are expected to save over $122 million in ratepayer dollars by 2045.
Since the system entered commercial operation in late March 2026, it 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.
