At the Community College Facility Coalition Annual Conference in Sacramento on November 6th, SunPower Corp. announced it has installed approximately 20 megawatts (MW) of solar power systems at 12 community college districts in California. The systems are generating enough clean, renewable solar electricity to power more than 4,100 California homes each year, according to calculations provided by the Solar Energy Industries Association. If the colleges were to buy the power from their utilities at current rates, it's estimated the districts are avoiding approximately $5.4 million in annual electricity costs.

SunPower is currently completing construction of its largest community college district solar installation to date. College of the Desert in Palm Desert, Calif. expects to have 3.8 MW of SunPower solar carports operating by the end of the year. The solar power systems are expected to generate up to 66 percent of the total electricity consumed on campus, delivering much-needed savings while supporting the college's commitment to sustainable practices.

"With on-campus solar power systems, California's community colleges are maximizing resources and providing accessible educational opportunities to students. Solar electric systems generate utility savings year after year, delivering needed savings to enhance academic programs," said Howard Wenger, SunPower president, regions.

SunPower systems at California community colleges are offsetting the production of almost 16,000 tons of carbon dioxide each year, according to estimates provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This carbon dioxide offset is equivalent to removing nearly 74,000 cars from California roads over the next 25 years.