Fullerton College completed a new solar canopy system that will save nearly $6 million in energy costs over the next 20 years.
The solar project was developed in partnership by signing a power purchase agreement (PPA) with ForeFront Power, a developer and asset manager of commercial- and industrial-scale solar energy and storage projects.
Fullerton College approved the project to save money on utility costs, reduce its carbon footprint and advance its sustainability goals of transitioning campus energy consumption to 100% renewable energy.
The solar carport system will generate 1.8 million kWh of renewable energy, which will offset roughly 19% of the college’s electrical consumption. The renewable electricity production from the solar energy system will help the college avoid 1,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually.
The 1 megawatt-DC (MW DC) solar parking canopy array is located in a student parking lot adjacent to Sherbeck Field.
“After over a century of being in operation, Fullerton College is moving into the future by implementing clean energy solutions that will allow us to reliably produce clean energy, reduce harmful emissions and reinvest energy savings into student success,” said Dr. Cynthia Olivo, President of Fullerton College, in a statement.
The solar arrays are a pilot solar project for North Orange County Community College District to demonstrate how solar can benefit other campuses in the district.
The PPA with ForeFront Power enabled Fullerton College to develop its project at no upfront cost and without using bond funds. Under the terms of the PPA, ForeFront Power develops, owns and maintains the solar energy portfolio and charges the college a fixed, lower rate than the utility for electricity locked in for the 20-year duration of the agreement. ForeFront Power will continue to operate and maintain the system at no cost to the college.
Fullerton College selected ForeFront Power to develop, finance and construct its solar and energy storage portfolio via the Renewable Energy Aggregated Procurement (REAP) Program offered by SPURR. SPURR, a joint powers authority of hundreds of public education agencies, uses competitive solicitations, aggregated buying power, and technical expertise to obtain excellent pricing and terms for utilities-related goods and services. The REAP Program allows any California public agency to obtain the best solar and energy storage pricing and terms from a competitive statewide solicitation.