SAN LORENZO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oro Loma Sanitary District, Solar Power Partners, and DRI Energy jointly announced today the completion of a single-tracker system, 468 kW-sized photovoltaic solar system. The system is designed to save the District over $2 million during the life of the contract with clean, renewable solar energy at zero out-of-pocket costs. This is made possible through a solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Mill-Valley based Solar Power Partners, who developed, financed, and will own and operate the solar facility.
Solar Power Partners and Oro Loma partnered with DRI Energy to design, build, and install the single-axis tracker project. DRI Energy used over 2,100 Trina Solar 220 watt modules on a Raytracker single-axis tracking system. The system is capable of generating over 822,000 kWh annually, saving the equivalent of 590 metric tons of CO2, equal to the one-year greenhouse gas emissions of 113 passenger vehicles, the CO2 emissions from the electricity use of 72 homes for one year.
“When the output from the solar array is combined with Oro Loma’s existing digester gas facility, the District will become 100% self sufficient in its electrical needs. The project makes sense from an environmental and economic perspective. We get electricity derived from the sun at a discount to existing utility rates,” said Jason Warner, Oro Loma Sanitary District General Manager.
In 2008, the District undertook the development of a solar project that would deliver power to its wastewater treatment facility, but initial parties involved were unable to complete the terms of the agreement. Solar Power Partners, who developed, owns, and operates several other solar systems for water and wastewater districts including the neighboring 1 MW dual-axis tracking system at West County Wastewater District in Richmond, CA, stepped in.
DRI Energy engineers were faced with two challenges: trying to accommodate a previous design that ultimately proved unworkable; and two on site power generation systems that could not be interfered with. The cogeneration systems feature sensitive controls and protective relays that the solar system could not interfere with in the event that PG&E power was to go down. DRI Energy design engineers custom designed a fiber optic based interlock to immediately shut off the inverters should PG&E power go down. The project was completed on time and on budget.
“We see a lot of projects in the industry fail to make it off the ground due to a variety of factors that include an inability to obtain project funding, design challenges, or the lack of team expertise,” said Bob Powell, President and CEO, Solar Power Partners. “Partnering with experienced firms helps negate future problems. From the start of our partnership, Oro Loma District management and the Board of Directors have been supportive and positive.”
“Putting jobs back into the community is one of DRI Energy’s key initiatives,” said Steve Kelley, Executive Vice President of DRI Energy. “With close to 75% of the workforce coming from the city and the surrounding area, we took this opportunity to further our commitment to hiring locally. DRI Energy has offices in the neighboring cities of San Leandro and Oakland. The project is huge win-win for us and our communities.”
The solar Power Purchase Agreement enables Oro Loma to buy the electricity at a contractually fixed rate at a discount to existing utility rates. This helps the District minimize expenses and rates which are now the lowest in California. The solar system is expected to save over $2 million for the District over the term of the PPA and will produce an estimated 16,066,934 kilowatt hours of electricity (kWh) over twenty years, which is equivalent to removing 11,539 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air, or 1,297,975 gallons of consumed gasoline.
An opening ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, February 24, 2011, at 2:30PM.
About Oro Loma Sanitary District (OLSD)
OLSD provides wastewater collection and treatment as well as solid waste, and recycling services as a special district of local government. The District encompasses 13 square miles, serving the communities of San Lorenzo, Ashland, Cherryland, Fairview, portions of Castro Valley, and the Cities of Hayward and San Leandro. The District’s mission is to provide the best possible service at the lowest possible cost.
About Solar Power Partners (SPP)
One of America’s premier independent solar power producers, Solar Power Partners, Inc. (SPP) helps businesses, municipalities, schools and universities, and institutional customers embrace solar energy. SPP develops, owns, and operates distributed solar energy facilities (SEFs) and sells solar-generated electricity through solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPA), long-term energy financing solutions that help customers go green without the hassles or costs of solar facility ownership and maintenance.
About DRI Energy
DRI Energy leverages over 30 years of roofing and construction experience in setting the industry standard for quality solar solutions and construction, including leading safety practices. DRI Energy relies on well-established processes and procedures to consistently deliver the most comprehensive integration services to the industry. DRI Energy Corporation, headquartered in Irvine, California, is one of three wholly owned subsidiaries of DRI Companies, a privately held company and one of the most respected roofing contractors in the United States. For more information visit www.dricompanies.com.