Taft Union High School District to Install Solar

Taft Union High School District will break ground this summer on a solar project that will generate renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gases and save millions of dollars.

The system will be designed and built by REC Solar, a leading provider of commercial, public sector and utility-scale solar solutions. Sage Renewable Energy Consulting, Inc., an independent energy consulting firm, was retained by the district to help guide the vendor selection process and ensure that district goals are met from design through implementation.

The 1.3 megawatt system includes a 1.1 megawatt ground mount system adjacent to Taft Union High School and a nearly 200-kilowatt carport in the Buena Vista High School parking lot. Combined, the system will contain about 3,750 individual solar panels with an annual production capacity of 2,160,000 kilowatt hours. It will offset 76% of the energy used at Taft Union High School and 97% of the energy at Buena Vista High School. Over a 25-year period, the system is expected to save the district $6.2 million and reduce carbon emissions by more than 35,000 metric tons.

As part of the project, REC Solar will be updating the PG&E service sub-station for Taft Union High School.

"This project has a wide range of benefits for our schools," said Blanca Cavazos, superintendent at Taft Union High School District. "We are saving millions on energy costs, providing shaded parking spots with the carport and taking advantage of our frequent sunshine to power our facilities with renewable energy."

"We are excited to be producing nearly all the energy needed at Taft and Buena Vista High Schools," said Alan Russo, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing at REC Solar. "The long-term savings can be leveraged by the schools for other important investments over the next 25 years."

REC Solar | http://recsolar.com

Sage Renewables | www.sagerehttp://new.com