BP Solar and Palo Verde College in California inaugurated a new solar farm project with a dedication ceremony at the college.
The 1.16-megawatt facility will supply nearly all of the college’s current energy needs. The ground-mounted solar farm is made up of over 6,800 multi-crystalline BP solar panels.
The installation covers eight acres and is owned and operated by BP Solar, which will sell the energy to the college under a long-term power purchase agreement.
With this solar energy system, more than 1,538 tons of carbon dioxide emissions associated with power generation will be avoided per year – the equivalent of planting 317 acres of trees or taking 256 cars off the road according to BP Solar.
Power purchase agreements with schools are becoming an increasingly common way for educational institutions to make the switch to renewable energy and find funding for the construction for solar farms in the USA
While these arrangements are not often seen with schools in Australia, the Australian government does provide $50,000 solar power grants for schools under its National Solar Schools Program. For dual campuses, that is those incorporating primary and secondary classes, the grant can be as much as $100,000
To date, 5185 schools around Australia have registered for the NSSP. The funding is available until June 2015 and additional funding is available in some regions under state programs.
