Sierra College Cuts the Ribbon on New Solar Project

By Lisa Mealoy
Director of District Services and Development, Community College League of California 

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

On Tuesday, October 8, Sierra College dedicated a new solar array at its Rocklin campus that is projected to save millions of dollars in long-term energy costs. The two-megawatt (MW) solar parking canopy structure, plus energy storage system developed with ForeFront Power, will provide reliable electricity to the campus over a 20-year term. Sierra College’s President Willy Duncan said, "I’ve never seen a solar project come together in such a great package with such great solar pricing and a great team." 

Sierra College procured this renewable energy project through a streamlined procurement process via School Project for Utility Rate Reduction (SPURR), a partner in the League’s District Services Energy Division. 

Facts about the new solar array on the Rocklin Campus 

• Total number of solar panels: 5,346 
• Total number of shaded parking spaces: Approximately 600 
• System size: 1,978 Kilowatts 
• 20-yr utility savings expected: $2.6M 
• Percent of Rocklin Campus electricity consumption met: 60% to 65% 

The League’s partnership with SPURR was established to allow districts to access their RFP process, which sets critical standards for project quality and price and ensures that districts can be confident in the integrity of the project analysis. For more information on this project or the League’s Energy Division, please contact Lisa Mealoy at lmealoy@ccleague.org. 

This article was originally published in Board Focus. To read the full Winter 2019 Issue, click here.