Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Southwestern College Dedicates 3.2-Megawatt SunPower Solar System

  • 12/16/14

CHULA VISTA, CA — In a ceremonial flipping of the energy switch, Southwestern College and SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) recently dedicated the installation of a 3.2-megawatt solar power system on the college’s Chula Vista campus.

Southwestern College estimates that the solar energy project — which is the largest single site of energy generation for an educational institution in San Diego Gas & Electric’s service area — will help offset the college’s energy costs by approximately $600,000 annually.

“It makes sense to use the clean, renewable resource of the sun to power our college sustainably,” says Dr. Melinda Nish, superintendent/president of Southwestern College. “We think this is an investment of Proposition R dollars that will continue to pay dividends for the college community for many years to come.”

The project cost $13 million and was funded by Proposition R, the general obligation bond passed by voters in 2008.

SunPower solar panels, which generate up to 41 percent more power and have a lower degradation rate than conventional solar panels, are installed on solar shade structures in six of the college’s parking lots. Installing solar systems in parking areas takes advantage of underutilized space and provides needed shade.

“Southwestern College can rely on its high quality SunPower solar systems to deliver guaranteed performance for the next 25 years or more,” says Howard Wenger, SunPower president, business units. “It is extremely rewarding to help our educational institutions thrive using power from the sun.”

According to estimates provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, solar power systems installed at Southwestern College will avoid production of more than 2,600 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, the equivalent of removing almost 13,000 cars from California’s roads over the next 25 years.

About Southwestern College
Established in 1961, Southwestern College is the only public institution of higher education in southern San Diego County, serving approximately 400,000 residents of communities including Bonita, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, Nestor, Otay Mesa, Palm City, San Ysidro, Sunnyside and Coronado. The College District offers more than 300 associate degree and certificate options. More information at swccd.edu.

About Proposition R
Proposition R is the $389-million general obligation bond passed by voters in 2008. Proceeds from the bond are to be used for construction, reconstruction and/or rehabilitation of facilities, including the furnishing and equipping of its facilities, acquisition or lease of real property for its facilities and construction management by district personnel.

About SunPower
SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) designs, manufactures and delivers the highest efficiency, highest reliability solar panels and systems available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company’s quarter century of experience and guaranteed performance to provide maximum return on investment throughout the life of the solar system. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpower.com.

Featured

  • Rethinking K-12 Schools as a Continuous Learning Experience

    Most students move through three or more separate facilities during their K-12 journey, yet the built environments they encounter at each stage have traditionally been designed in isolation, with little continuity in spatial language, learning philosophy, or physical resources. Each new school is a reset with different layouts, learning models, expectations, and ways of moving through a building. The next generation of school design is making the case that the first day of kindergarten and the last day of high school can and should feel connected through common support systems and infrastructure in the physical environment.

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.