CSU Going Solar

The state of California and SunEdison announced an agreement to provide affordable solar power at 15 California State University (CSU) campuses and the CSU executive office. Through this partnership, an eight megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic power system will be installed at CSU campuses giving zero-emissions electric power.

During the first year of operation, the eight MW system is expected to deliver approximately 12 million kilowatt hours of clean renewable energy. This amount of solar generated electricity represents five percent of the entire CSU system’s yearly energy consumption.

Over the life of the contract, the partnership will offset approximately 9,485 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of removing 48,937 cars from the road.

New SunEdison solar panels will be installed on rooftops, atop parking canopies and in ground-mounted arrays at various locations in the CSU campus.

As state government’s contract manager, the Department of General Services (DGS) negotiated the alternative financing method known as a power-purchase agreement for CSU. The agreement allows CSU to buy renewable power at or below current retail rates while avoiding the cost of installing the system. Under this agreement, SunEdison will finance, build and operate the solar panels for 20 years.

The State of California-SunEdison solar purchase agreement arranged by DGS should yield a total of approximately 20 MW of new renewable energy for the state.

It consists of installing the following systems:
1- 7 MW of solar power at five state prison sites and three state mental hospitals. 2- Since 2006, 4.2 MW of solar power have already been deployed at eight other state facilities through similar power purchase agreements.

DGS also recently launched an online database identifying where solar panels, fuel cells, wind turbines and other green energy technologies are generating renewable power at state office buildings, prisons, hospitals and college campuses which can be found at www.RenewableEnergy.dgs.ca.gov.

California’s push to fight global warming and increase renewable energy will also boost our economy. According to an economic study released yesterday by the University of California at Berkeley and Next 10, California’s policies will create as many as 403,000 jobs in the next 12 years and household incomes will increase by $48 billion.

Via: Lake County News