4 Megawatt Solar Power System Will Save L.A. Community College $280,000 on Electric Bills

Science & Technology (alternative energy)

solar panels photo
photo: Chevron Energy Solutions

Chalk up another institute of higher education getting into renewable energy. L.A. Southwest College (part of Los Angeles’ community college system) has partnered with Chevron Energy Solutions to install a 4 MW solar power system on campus. This follows 1.2 MW installation earlier this year by another Los Angeles community college, East L.A. College.

According to Renewable Energy World, the school has said the system will be used as “a living model for students, allowing them to study renewable technologies as it relates to design, construction, chemistry and physics”. It will also allow the college to save about $280,000 on its electricity bill, generating more than 5 million kWh of electricty.

Other schools getting into renewables on campus:

Geothermal, Wind, RECs All Tapped
Oregon Institute of Technology is installing a geothermal power plant which will supply all of the school’s power. This will be the first (and maybe only, ever) university to be powered by its own geothermal power plant.

Santa Clara University will be purchasing 11,256 MWh of renewable energy, enough to meet one-third of its electric requirements.

University of Oklahoma announced in September that by 2013 the entire school will be powered by a new “OU Spirit Windfarm”. Currently the school gets 10% of its power from renewable sources.

via: Renewable Energy World

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