SunPower selected for combined solar, storage project at California’s Gavilan College

By Conor Ryan
LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email
Construction on the system is currently underway, with completion of the installation expected before the end of 2017. Image: SunPower

Gavilan College has selected SunPower to deploy a fully integrated solar and storage project on its campus in Gilroy, California.

A SunPower Helix Carport system with a total capacity of 1.4MW will be installed across two of the college’s largest parking lots — with the system boosted by a 250kW energy storage solution from Stem.

Construction on the system is currently underway, with completion of the installation expected before the end of 2017.

In order to help finance the project, Gavilan Joint Community College District secured US Department of Treasury clean renewable energy bonds (CREBs) with a 1.05% interest rate after a federal tax credit. The district will own both the project and the associated renewable energy credits.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Frederick E. Harris, vice president of administrative services at Gavilan College, said: “Investing in cleaner energy while providing covered parking for our students with this solar carport system made complete sense for us. Together with SunPower, we have designed a unique system that will offset approximately 75% of our electricity use on the Gilroy campus, include a storage system allowing us to avoid expensive utility demand charges, feature enhanced parking lot lighting, and incorporate up to 102 electric car charging stations in compliance with the California Green Building Code.”

Harris added: “We’re especially excited about SunPower’s 25-year Demand Assurance Guarantee that covers product performance, energy production, operation and maintenance. Combined with system monitoring capabilities and innovative classroom curriculum that SunPower has developed, we’ll have the ability to create valuable instructional opportunities for our students and community members.”

Read Next

August 8, 2025
Lyten’s deal to acquire and recommence operations of European battery firm Northvolt out of bankruptcy has winners and losers, but some of the challenges that led to its demise have already been solved.
August 8, 2025
Utility Portland General Electric (PGE) announced the completion of three battery energy storage systems (BESS) totalling more than 1.9GWh in Portland, Oregon, US.
August 7, 2025
Energy storage developer and system integrator Energy Vault has received approval to pursue market-based participation in the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) with the Calistoga Resiliency Centre (CRC).
August 7, 2025
Calibrant, a joint venture between Green Investment Group and German engineering company Siemens, has energised and begun generating Value of Distributed Energy Resources (VDER) credits from three front-of-the-meter battery energy storage systems (BESS) in New York, US.
Premium
August 6, 2025
Energy-Storage.news Premium speaks with microgrid solutions provider BoxPower’s Director of Business Development, Fallon Vaughan and Sales and Marketing Coordinator Noa Schachtel, about the company’s microgrid offerings.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter