UCF students build solar power plant

An effort to create a better environment and construction basis for Orlando led to summer internship opportunities for UCF construction engineering students.

The task was to build more than 2,800 foundations for a 6-megawatt solar power plant covering more than 35 acres at the Stanton Energy Power Plant on the south end of Alafaya Trail. After weeks of work, the plant can now be seen from Innovation Way and Alafaya Trail, across from Avalon Park.

The internship program was brought about from the Opportunity Knocks program through the Associated Builders and Contractors student chapter.

Out of 50 students who applied, 10 started out on the job along with 35 other workers.

"By the end of the last week, there were only about four or five of us left," UCF alumnus Myers Van Fossen said.

Van Fossen was in charge of report writing, layout and carpentry during the project. He started out as an intern, and after efficient efforts he contributed to the job, Alan Haughey, owner of ConTech Construction, took notice.

Van Fossen had just graduated with a civil and construction engineering degree when he was offered a full-time job.

For the four months, the interns had to work on the solar project, where hard work and dedication were in high demand. Productivity at the beginning of the job was around 15 footings per day. The students were asked to use their engineering knowledge to problem solve to increase the efficiency.

"This was a good project because it was high repetition," civil and construction engineering major Martin Kenealy said. "So even though we all weren't super experienced with all the means and methods of construction, we had the opportunity to learn it and repeat it over and over again."

Kenealy said he was a summer engineering intern who helped the superintendent with basic tasks and carpentry, but 90 percent of the time he was surveying.

Zac Norris, an engineering and computer science major, said each student, depending on the crew they were a part of, had different tasks.

"Everything from layout, to running equipment, to pouring and finishing concrete, surveying, carpentry, form work, just pretty much everything that went into the job is what interns did," Norris said.

Norris said he was mainly involved with the process of pouring concrete, but he wasn't limited to just those duties. All interns were able to explore in order to gain as much as possible from the experience.

"We weren't really held back or not exposed to something," Norris said.

This solar power plant was constructed differently than others. It is called an "active system" because the panels move and attract the sun, thus needing a larger foundation than a typical stationary plant. There are three main segments of work that must be completed on a day-to-day basis in order to complete such a project on time. The three parts are pads, columns and driveline foundations.

Van Fossen worked on the Pad Crew, which started out by setting up the laser for the crew and setting rebar.

"Everyone works together to make sure enough pads are inspected for the pour," Van Fossen said. "The inspector then comes and inspects pads and drivelines."

Building the 2,800 foundations for a solar power plant is a high production job and calls for people who are fully dedicated.

"In the construction industry, people look for construction and engineering people in general and interns will be brought in on certain projects to help out with the workload and give us experience," Norris said. "Also, companies may do it if they're looking to potentially bring somebody on in the future."

Overall, the 35-acre solar farm produces 6-megawatts, which powers 600 to 1,000 homes.

"Renewable energy sectors are on the rise and this plant is a great example of how construction is evolving and bettering the environment," Van Fossen said. "It's a perfect example of ‘green jobs.' Since the economy isn't doing that well, construction jobs are created not just for building buildings or roads, but for renewable energy such as the solar power plant."