Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

California K–12 District Debuts 17.5-MW Solar Energy, Storage Portfolio

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/19/24

The Fresno Unified School District in Fresno, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new 17.5-MW, district-wide solar energy and storage portfolio, according to a news release. The district partnered with ForeFront Power, a developer and asset manager of large-scale solar energy projects, to develop the project. The portfolio will save the district an estimated $40 million across its estimated 20-year lifespan, the news release reports.

The district’s solar portfolio consists of 40 different projects, including solar canopies and energy storage systems, at 31 different sites. It will generate 23.5 million kWh of clean, renewable energy to power the annual power use of 3,000 nearby homes. It will also offset more than 18,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, the equivalent of 3,600 fewer cars on the road.

“This solar energy and battery storage portfolio demonstrates our district’s dedication to building a more resilient future for our students and the communities we serve,” said Bob Nelson, FUSD Superintendent. “By upgrading our campuses with innovative, clean energy solutions, we’re unlocking new cost savings that can be redirected back into the classroom, to enhance the quality of learning for our students.”

The partnership also provides the district with access to real-time performance monitoring information, reports and visualizations of energy use and offsets, and curriculum support for the district’s STEM education programs. ForeFront Power’s smart battery storage systems can complement solar canopies to provide relief during maximum use times to avoid peak charges from the utility provider, the news release reports.

“ForeFront Power takes care of every aspect of solar energy solutions for our partner school districts like Fresno Unified,” said Nate Smith-Ide, ForeFront Power’s Senior Sales Manager. “We want to give public school districts an alternative to expensive, unpredictable energy expenditures with guaranteed performance and low costs from renewable energy solutions.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Parallel Architectural Products

    Armstrong World Industries, provider of interior and exterior architectural applications, recently announced that it has acquired the Colorado-based Parallel Architectural Products, according to a news release.

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • North Carolina District Completes New Elementary School

    The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in Holly Springs, N.C., recently announced that construction on a new elementary school has finished, according to a news release. Rex Road Elementary School measures in at 133,000 square feet and is the fifteenth school that general contractor Balfour Beatty has completed for the district.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.