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| More than 100 reinforced concrete piers
extending 15 feet into the earth were used to install a solar system onto a
hillside at The Athenian School. Photo by Mike Jolly. |
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Solution
REC Solar, headquartered in San Luis Obispo, Calif., specializes in grid-tied
residential and commercial solar power installations, and clearly stood out. It
is among the nation’s largest solar integrators with more than a dozen offices
in six states. REC teamed with Tioga Energy, a power purchase agreement (PPA)
provider, on the bid. “REC and Tioga came in with the most complete package,”
says Oxenburgh.
REC Solar proposed to engineer and install the system, while Tioga Energy
proposed to finance the project through a SurePath Solar PPA. The agreement
would require no upfront capital outlay by the school. Under the long-term
contract, Tioga would own and operate the system and sell the renewable
electricity generated to The Athenian School at fixed rates during a 20-year
period. Such a situation was exactly what the school was looking
for.
With a contract complete, the project moved forward until Mother Nature
intervened. The plan called for 1,300 ground-mounted solar panels covering 30,000
square feet and generating 220 kilowatts of electricity. The panels would be
positioned on a hillside above the school and arranged in the shape of an “A”
for Athenian. But a geotechnical survey suggested that traditional PV
foundations would be unsuitable for the existing soil
conditions.
The initial recommendation was to replace the soil on the hillside. “It raised
some serious financial issues,” says Oxenburgh. The added cost of this solution
nearly scuttled the project. “Tioga and REC Solar struggled hard to make this
work, and came up with a relatively lost-cost alternative.” The solution was to
use more than 100 reinforced concrete piers extending 15 feet into the
earth.
Benefits
Given past experience, electricity rates are sure to rise in the future. The
more the public utility increases its rates, the more The Athenian School will
potentially save since the fixed-rate PPA provides a hedge against rising
electric costs. Tioga enables the school to lock in long-term electricity
rates.
Eliminating upfront capital investment and ongoing maintenance responsibilities
was a huge advantage for the school and made one of the largest photovoltaic
installations at a private school in California possible.
The school is proud of its heritage and committed to the five pillars, which
include environmental stewardship. During the next 20 years, the solar power
system is expected to avoid generating more than 66 million pounds of carbon
dioxide. “It will be like taking 55 passenger cars off the road each year,”
Oxenburgh says.
In addition to reducing pollutants, high-efficiency Mitsubishi Electric solar
modules use lead-free solder, eliminating a harmful ingredient commonly used in
solder in many traditional modules.
This green effort sends a positive message to families of current and
prospective students, not to mention the surrounding communities. “As an
institution that actively demonstrates a concern for global warming, I think it
helps us in our recruiting efforts,” says Oxenburgh.
Sidebar: The Athenian School Solar ‘A’
Location: Danville, Calif.
Challenge: Deploying a large solar array without a sizable up-front capital
investment
Solution: 1,300 ground-mounted solar panels, covering 30,000 square feet and
generating 220 kilowatts of electricity, with a SurePath Solar PPA from Tioga
Energy
Benefits: No upfront capital investment or ongoing maintenance responsibilities.
Hedge against rising utility electricity costs.
Helps fulfill the school’s environmental stewardship goals.
Sends a positive message to families of current and perspective
students.
Offers hands-on learning opportunity to foster a future renewable energy
workforce.
For more information, visit
www.athenian.org and
www.tiogaenergy.com.
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