SunPower today announced its deal with University of California, Santa Barbara to install 5.2 MW of SunPower systems on rooftops and in parking lots on the campus.
University of California will buy the electricity produced by the systems at a competitive rate under a long-term power purchase agreement with SunPower. It will buy green power for less than the cost of peak demand utility power.
UCSB estimates the systems will generate about 12 percent of the campus’s total electricity use, and will reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions by six percent. University of California and UC President Napolitano has set a target to become carbon neutral by 2025.
Marc Fisher, UCSB’s vice chancellor for administrative services, said: “We estimate the savings will be nearly $270,000 in the first year of system operations and approximately $14 million over 20 years, which will allow us to invest in additional energy saving projects.”
Howard Wenger, president, business units of SunPower, said the company will build the solar power systems at six sites on campus, including two SunPower Helix rooftop systems and four solar parking canopies at campus parking lots.
The new systems will increase more than ten-fold the amount of solar energy currently being generated on UCSB’s campus, according to the university.
The company will start the construction of the solar power systems early next year, with system operation anticipated by year end 2016. The university will own the renewable energy credits associated with the systems.
Rajani Baburajan
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