University of California, Davis, Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi, and SunPower representatives today (Nov. 20) are dedicating the university鈥檚 newly constructed 16.3-megawatt (AC) solar power plant. The new plant, which 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis estimates will generate 14 percent of the electricity the campus needs, is the largest solar installation in the 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 system and the largest 鈥渂ehind-the-meter鈥 solar plant on a U.S. college campus offsetting electricity demand. The university expects to reduce the campus鈥檚 carbon footprint by 9 percent, or 14,000 metric tons, as a result of the system.
鈥淭his is a compelling example of how, with partners such as SunPower, we at 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis are reducing our carbon footprint,鈥 said Katehi. 鈥淏y taking steps to aggressively reduce our carbon emissions, we can set an example to the nation and the world of what can be achieved when we combine political will with science and innovation.鈥
Located on a 62-acre site south of Interstate 80, the plant was designed and built by SunPower, which also owns and operates the project and sells the power to 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis.
鈥溞掳拿帕喜誓谀恍畔 Davis has a singular vision for integrating sustainable energy solutions,鈥 said Howard Wenger, SunPower president, business units. 鈥淪unPower has been pleased to partner with the university, first on the landmark zero-net energy 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis West Village community in 2011, and this year on the completion of the 16-megawatt plant we are celebrating today, the 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 system鈥檚 largest operating solar power plant. SunPower is working with universities and colleges that are increasing their reliance on solar power to support their sustainability goals and achieve the extraordinary long-term value SunPower systems deliver.鈥
At the site, SunPower installed a SunPower Oasis Power Plant system, a fully integrated, modular solar power block engineered to rapidly and cost-effectively deploy utility-scale solar projects while optimizing land use. The technology includes robotic solar panel cleaning capability designed by a SunPower innovation team based near 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis. It uses 75 percent less water than traditional cleaning methods and may improve system performance by up to 15 percent.
Solar power and renewable energy at 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis
Combined with other purchases of solar and hydroelectric energy, the plant is part of 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis鈥 plan to obtain 60 percent of its electricity from renewable and carbon-free sources by 2017, ahead of a state goal of 50 percent by 2020.
In addition to the new, 16-megawatt plant, 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis also has the capacity to generate about 1 megawatt from solar panels atop carport-like structures and on top of buildings. The 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis West Village neighborhood has a separate power grid, including 4 megawatts of SunPower solar panels.
The University of California Office of the President announced last year that it will purchase more than 200,000 megawatt hours per year of solar energy to supply several campuses, including 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis. In 2013, 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 President Janet Napolitano committed the University of California system to a goal of zero carbon emissions by 2025.
Media Resources
Andy Fell, Research news (emphasis: biological and physical sciences, and engineering), 530-752-4533, ahfell@ucdavis.edu
Ingrid Ekstrom, SunPower, (510) 260-8368, iekstrom@sunpowercorp.com