News & Press

Sierra College solar construction to begin

The Union

May 5, 2011

Construction of a handful of solar arrays is set to begin next month on Sierra College's Nevada County campus.

By June, San Diego-based Borrego Solar is set to begin installing arrays which are expected to provide 50-60 percent of the Grass Valley campus' electricity needs, college officials said.

Borrego will sell power generated by the arrays back to Sierra College at 15.9 cents per kilowatt hour, cheaper than the campus pays Pacific Gas and Electric, which charges $.17 per kilowatt hour, said Laura Doty, director of facilities and construction for the four campus community college system.

Construction is expected to wrap up around September, and in the first year alone the project is scheduled to save the campus about $50,000 in electricity costs, Doty added.

Construction crew will need to close down parts of parking lots 5 and 6 on the campus' western edge, said Nevada County Campus Dean Stephanie Ortiz.

In addition, four buildings will have rooftop arrays built atop them, but that construction is not expected to affect classes, she added.

Another array is being built on the college's Rocklin campus.

Borrego will own the arrays outright through 2016, at which point the college will have the option to buy them for an estimated total of $3.5 million, Doty said.

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