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University Of California Buying Power From 60 MW Solar Farm

The University of California (UC) has announced the completion of the Five Points Solar Farm, a 60 MW solar installation built to supply renewable energy to the university. The array’s output represents roughly 14% of the total UC system’s electricity usage, and UC says the project is a key step toward the university’s goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2025.

The university notes that an additional 20 MW solar installation is set to come online by mid-2017. The full output from these two power projects, totaling 80 MW, will be going to UC under a 25-year power purchase agreement with project developer Centaurus Renewable Energy.

Nearly a quarter of the solar power will go to UC Davis, while the remainder will be shared among the other UC campuses and medical centers served by the university’s Wholesale Power Program. In addition to helping the university reach its goal under the Carbon Neutrality Initiative, the new solar power installations will also provide research and education opportunities for UC faculty, students and staff.

“As a national leader in sustainability, the University of California is taking on bold, new goals and transforming our approach to procuring and using energy in more sustainable ways,” said UC President Janet Napolitano. “Our partnership with Centaurus Renewable Energy will ensure that UC has a steady supply of cost-effective, climate-neutral electricity.”

In addition to purchased solar energy, UC has grown its on-site solar power production considerably in recent years. A total of 36.5 MW of solar PV technology has been installed across the campuses and medical centers, with an additional 18.3 MW planned within the next year. The UC system-wide goal of reaching 10 MW of on-site solar by 2014 was surpassed two years early - and has been more than tripled to date.

The Five Points Solar Farm consists of 271,200 panels, covering approximately three-quarters of a square mile of fallow farmland. Clenera, Centaurus Renewable Energy, Blymyer Engineers and Swinerton Renewable Energy cooperated in the design and construction of the Five Points project.

 

City Of Ten Thousand Buddhas To Save Millions Of Dollars

Inverter provider Enphase Energy Inc. and installer North State Solar Energy partnered to complete a 500 kW solar PV system for the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (CTTB), a Buddhist community and monastery in Ukiah, Calif., that serves as the main center for the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association. The 1,800-plus ground-mounted panels and Enphase micro-inverters at the CTTB are expected to save $6 million in energy costs over the 25-year life span of the system.

“North State Solar Energy listened to what the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas wanted to accomplish with its long-term energy goals,” stated Hans Stullken, vice president of business development for North State Solar Energy. “We created solutions around these goals to bring together a unique solar project that is already outperforming its production estimates by over 10 percent.”

According to Enphase, the tremendous growth in population and retreat attendance at the CTTB, along with the expansion of its schools and other projects, made the increasing costs of energy a growing concern. With electricity rates increasing over the last decade, the CTTB utilities group turned to North State and Enphase for help in becoming more energy independent. The array reduces its dependency on the local utilities and should produce enough energy to “zero out” the total CTTB electric bill by 2026.

The CTTB’s founder, Master Hsuan Hua, originally instructed his disciples to look into solar over 20 years ago. From there, a campus-wide strategic energy plan was developed, and five years ago, the CTTB piloted an initial 50 kW solar project, which helped pave the way for the current 500 kW system. The new array is an achievement that is part of a long-term vision of the CTTB to shift to renewable energy sources.

Enphase says the entire CTTB project was built with materials entirely made or assembled in the U.S., using an IronRidge ground-mount solar system, Enphase American Pride M-250 micro-inverters and SolarWorld USA 280 W monocrystalline silicon solar modules. Enphase Enlighten software monitors the production, health and performance of the array in real time.

 

Harley-Davidson Dealer Cruises Toward Self-Sustainability

Ross Solar Group has secured funding to complete an upcoming solar installation for Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson, a motorcycle dealership located at the former site of an iconic Coca-Cola factory in New London, Conn.

According to Ross Solar Group, the 154 kW installation will offset 100% of the dealership’s electricity needs and feature SunPower modules. The solar project is poised to complement several other efficiency retrofits being completed to improve the property’s environmental impact while lowering its operational cost.

“When we moved into this historically significant building and began to revitalize it, we knew that going green was a priority and in line with our business and community philosophies,” commented Mike Schwartz, owner of Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson. “We did our research knowing that we wanted to be self-sufficient in terms of where we get our electricity from. Partnering with Ross Solar Group allowed us to get the information we needed to make a smart business decision, and Greenworks Lending made the process easy to access the C-PACE program.”

Working in conjunction with Greenworks Lending, Ross Solar leveraged financing available for qualifying green energy projects utilizing the Connecticut Green Bank’s Commercial Property-­Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program.

“It’s exciting to be a part of a project on such an iconic building,” said Stephan Hartmann, Ross Solar Group vice president of commercial business development. “C-PACE, through Greenworks Lending, enables Mike’s Famous and participating contractors like Ross Solar Group to move forward with innovated clean energy projects in a cost-effective and beneficial manner.”

 

IKEA To Install Washington’s Largest Rooftop Solar Array

Not long after revealing plans to host Tennessee’s largest rooftop solar project, IKEA has announced it will also be building Washington’s largest rooftop solar project, to be installed at its relocated Seattle-area store under construction in Renton, Wash.

Installation will begin this fall, with completion expected in the winter. The store’s 244,504-square-foot solar array will consist of a 1.18 MW system, built with 3,420 panels, and will produce approximately 1,319,000 kWh of electricity annually for the store. REC Solar is providing development, design and installation for the solar project, while Deacon Corp. is managing the construction of the store, which is slated to open in spring 2017.

“We are excited to further our sustainability commitment with solar panels on this relocated Seattle-area store,” said Diedre Goodchild, store manager. “Installing Washington’s largest rooftop array advances our vision of creating a better everyday life for the many.”

This installation will represent the 44th solar project for IKEA in the U.S., contributing to the IKEA solar presence atop nearly 90% of its U.S. locations, with a total generation of more than 40 MW.

 

Solar To Offset Power Costs At Oil Field

BAP Power Corp., dba Cenergy Power, has completed a 3.1 MW solar PV system for Seneca Resources Corp.’s North Midway Sunset oil field in Kern County, Calif.

The project is expected to produce roughly 5.5 million kWh annually and offset over 20% of Seneca’s total electric power costs at the oil field. Cenergy provided engineering, procurement and construction services for Seneca, installing 10,120 solar panels at the Bakersfield location.

According to the companies, the solar system is expected to generate enough clean energy annually to power more than 406 homes and avoid greenhouse-gas emissions equivalent to burning over 4 million pounds of coal each year. In addition, the companies say Seneca will be one of the first California oil producers to take advantage of the California Air Resources Board’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard “Innovative Method” credit program.

“Proactive environmental stewardship is a theme we value at Seneca,” said Jeffrey J. Formica, vice president of Seneca Resources Corp., the exploration and production segment of National Fuel Gas Co. “We are committed to producing oil and natural gas in a sustainable manner, and we are proud to commission this solar project in furtherance of that commitment.”

“We are excited to be a part of Seneca’s sustainability efforts and push for clean energy. As Seneca continues to produce oil and natural gas, their role in improving air quality and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions becomes greater by the day with the commissioning of this solar project,” added Chad Chahbazi, business development director at Cenergy Power.

 

Oahu Solar Farm Uses Sheep For Landscaping

Hawaii Gas has dedicated the new Waihonu Solar Farm with a blessing of the project facilities on the grounds of Honbushin International Center in Mililani. Consisting of Waihonu North LLC (5 MW) and Waihonu South LLC (1.5 MW), for a combined total of 6.5 MW, the Waihonu Solar Farm is currently the largest active solar farm on Oahu and has the ability to power approximately 1,000 homes on the island.

The Waihonu Solar Farm also uniquely integrates farming and technology. The solar farm’s landscaping program incorporates sheep grazing under the solar panels, reducing dust from traditional grass cutting, which can lower the efficiency of solar panels.

“This is an important milestone for Hawaii Gas as we further advance renewable energy and sustainability for Hawaii,” said Hawaii Gas President and CEO Alicia Moy. “[We recently] received a contract from the City and County of Honolulu to capture and process biogas from the Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment Plant, adding up to 800,000 therms of biogas annually. Today, we are honored to welcome the Waihonu Solar Farm to our ‘ohana.’”

The solar farm is contracted to sell electricity to Hawaiian Electric under a power purchase agreement, which has a 20-year initial term at a fixed rate of 23.6 cents/kWh.

Alan Oshima, Hawaiian Electric president and CEO, said, “We welcome projects that move Hawaii closer to our 100 percent renewable energy goal. Achieving that goal will take a diverse mix of renewable energy resources and strong collaboration, and these projects are a great example of what it will take to get there.”

 

Virginia’s First Community Solar Project Goes Online

Gov. Terry McAuliffe, D-Va., has commissioned Virginia’s first community solar project at the BARC Electric facility in Rockbridge, Va. BARC Electric, a customer-owned electric cooperative, developed the project for the benefit of its member-owners residing in Rockbridge, Bath, Highland, Augusta and Alleghany counties.

“Virginia’s short- and long-term energy security depends on the investments we make today in energy technology and infrastructure,” said McAuliffe. “BARC’s community solar project is an excellent model for stabilizing and reducing energy costs while delivering clean solar power to large segments of households on the grid.”

In addition, BARC constructed an educational center at the facility to teach students and visitors about solar energy production, as well as provide a guided tour through the solar facility. The classroom features a touch-screen display of the real-time and historical production data of the solar array. The project was funded with a $500,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant through the state, and additional funding was provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development.

“We are very proud to be the first power company in the commonwealth to offer community solar to our members, as well as the first to offer a hands-on learning experience to area schoolchildren at our solar learning center,” said BARC Electric CEO Mike Keyser.

The project will provide 25% of the energy needs for 212 homes and businesses across BARC’s entire electric system. More than 25 interested customers are currently on a waiting list for a future expansion of the project.

 

Connecticut Hospital Adds Rooftop Solar

The Hartford, Conn.-based Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center has unveiled a 455 kW solar installation, which is expected to generate more than $600,000 in electricity savings over 20 years. Consisting of 1,485 panels, the solar array is now operating on the fourth floor of the visitor parking garage - a roof area not designated for vehicles.

The project was funded through a grant from the Connecticut Zero Emissions Renewable Energy Credit program in partnership with renewable energy provider Soltage LLC. Through a solar power sales and service agreement, Soltage will operate the project and sell the electricity at a reduced cost to Saint Francis for the next 20 years. Under terms of the deal with Soltage, there was no cost to Saint Francis to purchase and install the photovoltaic panels. Project financing was provided by Soltage and investor Tenaska.

“This project is a win-win-win,” said Robert J. Falaguerra, Saint Francis’ vice president of facilities, support services and construction. “We’re saving energy, money, and it is green technology that’s helping protect our environment.”

 

Solar Project ‘Just Made Sense’ For Manufacturer

Baker Electric Solar has designed and installed a 167.26 kW rooftop solar project for Meziere Enterprises. Located at the cooling system manufacturer’s 25,000 square-foot facility in Escondido, Calif., the project is expected to reduce Meziere’s annual electricity spend by 60% to 70%. In fact, Meziere is slated to save an estimated $60,000 in energy costs in the first year. The system consists of 531 LG 315 60-cell solar modules with 10 SMA inverters.

When asked why Meziere chose to go solar, company partner Don Meziere explained, “We enjoy doing business in Southern California. However, there are some disadvantages to running a manufacturing company here. To be competitive, we need to do everything we can to reduce overhead for the long run. Manufacturing is heavily dependent upon electrical power, and we know we can count on Escondido to be sunny most of the time. Turning that sunshine into energy efficiencies with a five-year payback just made sense.”

“The Meziere solar system is expected to provide more than $1.97 million in net savings over the 25-year warranted life of the solar modules,” said Scott Williams, Baker’s director of commercial solar. “We never lose sight of the impact that predictable energy costs and increased profitability mean to our customers.”

 

Indiana Michigan Power Flips Switch On Project

The largest of Indiana Michigan Power’s (I&M) first four solar power plants is now online, bringing the utility’s total solar capacity above 10 MW. Covering 40 acres and consisting of 57,500 solar panels, the 5 MW Olive Solar Power Plant is just east of New Carlisle and will generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 700 homes annually.

The plant is the third of I&M’s four initial solar power plants to generate energy. The 2.6 MW Twin Branch Solar Power Plant, east of Mishawaka, recently went online, and the 2.5 MW Deer Creek plant, outside Marion, Ind., went online late in 2015. Combined, the three plants are generating enough energy to power more than 1,400 homes annually, according to the company. A fourth plant, in Watervliet, Mich., will begin generating solar energy later this year.

“I&M’s move into solar power generation has been smooth and relatively quick, with completion of three solar generating plants coming less than 19 months after the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved our proposal for solar,” said Paul Chodak III, president and chief operating officer of I&M.

In addition to solar, I&M’s generation portfolio also includes nuclear, hydro, coal and, through power purchase agreements, wind. About 60% of the energy generated by I&M in 2015 came from non-carbon-emitting sources.