Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

College of the Redwoods Approves Solar Deal

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 10/22/20

A community college in northern California has projected a savings of $4.2 million over the next 20 years from an implementation of solar. The College of the Redwoods Board of Trustees recently approved a proposal from ForeFront Power to install a 2.1 megawatt system and 500 kilowatt battery storage unit. The implementation will cover about three acres of open field on the campus, a third of the campus parking and the roof of a learning resource center.

College of the Redwoods

When fully deployed, the solar power will provide about 90 percent of the power needed by the Eureka-based main campus. Construction will start after a feasibility study by utility PG&E is completed. That's expected to take about a year. Installation will take an additional three months.

The deal eliminates capital outlay. Forefront will design, construct, own, operate and maintain the grid. The college will buy its power from the company for a flat rate for the next two decades. At that point, the college district will take ownership of the system.

The agreement includes a performance guarantee. Should there be any period when the grid fails to generate sufficient power to meet the 90 percent threshold and the college has to buy additional power from PG&E, ForeFront will cover the difference in pricing.

The school also hopes to make the grid a "living lab" as part of its Solar Technology program, with students serving internships and getting fellowships. ForeFront will also give the school renewable education resources.

"The number of jobs in solar energy is rising exponentially in California, and this project will give our students real-word insight into the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in this growing field," said Kerry Mayer, the college's dean of career education, in a statement.

"Our trustees know that expanding the use of solar power will not only provide a reliable energy source for the campus and a platform for additional academic programming, but it will also help mitigate the problems associated with climate change," added President Keith Flamer.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.

  • Myrtle Grove Elementary

    Phased Construction Keeps Students on Campus During Rebuild

    When Escambia County School District needed to replace most of Myrtle Grove Elementary School in Pensacola, Fla., it had three distinct challenges: honor the school's legacy in the community, bring state-of-the-art learning environments to the county, and be seamlessly built on the same site as the active school campus.

  • How Proactive Maintenance Can Transform Athletic Facilities into Strategic Assets for College Sports

    College athletics is entering one of the most transformative periods in its history. With NIL reshaping financial models and competitive expectations, athletic departments across the country are being asked to do more than ever with increasingly constrained resources.

  • Big Horn Academy

    Big Horn Academy

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Big Horn Academy has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.