California District to Save $4 Million with Solar

The Soledad Unified School District will install a new solar photovoltaic system projected to save $45,000 in annual energy costs.

Funded through an interest-free $2 million loan from the California Energy Commission and slated for completion in February, the new system will generate more than 745,000 kilowatt hours of energy while saving an estimated $4 million over the course of its life.

The project is the first in an energy program that aims to leverage the state's Proposition 39 funding to improve energy efficiency throughout the district. Other potential steps include solar generation at all district sites and LED interior and exterior lighting.

"Aside from the financial savings, the installation of solar panels at our high school to produce clean electricity represents a tremendous opportunity for the District to help preserve and protect the environment for future generations," said Cesar Vega, chief business official for the district, in a prepared statement. "It also impacts our local economy as it creates employment opportunities in the green job sector, and supports a homegrown energy source."

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • robot typing on a computer

    Microsoft Unveils 'Computer Use' Automation in Copilot Studio

    Microsoft has announced a new AI-powered feature called "computer use" for its Copilot Studio platform that allows agents to directly interact with Web sites and desktop applications using simulated mouse clicks, menu selections and text inputs.

  • AI microchip under cybersecurity attack, surrounded by symbols of threats like a skull, spider, lock, and warning shield

    Report Finds Agentic AI Protocol Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks

    A new report from Backslash Security has identified significant security vulnerabilities in the Model Context Protocol (MCP), technology introduced by Anthropic in November 2024 to facilitate communication between AI agents and external tools.

  • educators seated at a table with a laptop and tablet, against a backdrop of muted geometric shapes

    HMH Forms Educator Council to Inform AI Tool Development

    Adaptive learning company HMH has established an AI Educator Council that brings together teachers, instructional coaches and leaders from school district across the country to help shape its AI solutions.

  • illustration of a human head with a glowing neural network in the brain, connected to tech icons on a cool blue-gray background

    Meta Introduces Stand-Alone AI App

    Meta Platforms has launched a stand-alone artificial intelligence app built on its proprietary Llama 4 model, intensifying the competitive race in generative AI alongside OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and xAI.