California District To Save 6 Million with Solar Power
California's Central School District has completed the first phase of a solar power initiative that will eventually comprise 1.5 megawatts and be capable of generating 2 million kilowatt-hours, 75 percent of the district's needs, in its first year.
"The solar project required no upfront capital from the school district," according to a news release. "Solar firm PFMG Solar worked with Central School District to develop the project. Constellation, a leading competitive energy company, financed the project's development and owns and will operate the system. Central School District will purchase the electricity generated by the system through a 25-year power purchase agreement with Constellation. Rosendin Electric, Inc., provided design and construction services to Constellation for the project."
Upon completion, the project will include more than 5,000 photovoltaic panels and will reduce the school's annual carbon output by 2,008 metric tons, equivalent to removing 384 passenger vehicles from the road.
"The new solar power system will help the district to maintain stable electricity costs and serve as an educational resource for our students to learn about renewable energy," said Donna Libutti, superintendent of Central School District, in a prepared statement. "It will help us to save an estimated $6 million to $7 million in energy costs over the next 25 years."
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Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].