Gaining Solar Advantages Via a Power Purchase Agreement

Sedona administrators were fortunate to have bond money to invest in their solar equipment and program. Not all school districts can afford to do the same. For those districts, there is a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

With a PPA, a third-party, such as Borrego Solar, with locations throughout California and in the North East, owns the equipment in a developer role, and sells the solar power to the school district. The power is sold to the district at a set, reduced rate for a specified period of time. At the end of the contract, the district owns the system in its entirety. “That’s the trend right now in Arizona,” says Kinney Construction’s Michael Thomas, LEED-AP, “and probably in the Southwest, simply because districts don’t have the money to pay for it upfront.”

“It’s a good program for school districts,” says Mike Hall, Borrego’s CEO, “because they don’t have to come up with the capital, and they don’t have to put themselves at risk for the technology performing. They simply pay for the energy that’s used.” In addition to serving as a PPA, Borrego also serves as a solar designer, installer and financier.

Featured

  • Greenheck Launches New Series of Rooftop Units

    Air movement, control, and conditioning solutions provider Greenheck recently launched a new line of rooftop units that merge the conveniences of traditional rooftop ventilators and dedicated outdoor air systems, according to a news release. The Model RT controls temperature and humidity for indoor comfort.

  • Clemson to Launch North America’s Largest College Campus Smart Parking Program

    Clemson University in Clemson, S.C., recently announced a partnership with smart parking and curbside management solutions provider eleven-x to launch a smart parking initiative for its population of 29,000 students and faculty, according to a news release.

  • Rice University to Build New Student Life Complex

    Rice University in Houston, Texas, recently announced that a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Moody Center Complex for Student Life (MCCSL) will take place on May 8, 2025, according to a university news release. The 75,000-square-foot facility was designed by architecture firm Olson Kundig with Page serving as executive architect, and it has an estimated completion date of fall 2027.

  • KI Wall Demonstrates New Solutions at NeoCon 2025

    KI Wall attended NeoCon 2025 in Chicago, Ill., last month to showcase its new architectural wall systems and collaborations, according to a news release. Its customizable, design-forward wall solutions are intended to support creativity in work, education, and healthcare environments.

Digital Edition