Bill Implements Renewable Energy Project for District
On September 22, Governor Jerry Brown signed three renewable energy bills into law at Fowler, CA's Marshall Elementary School.
Senate Bill 585 will implement a project at Fowler Unified School District that will install solar panels over playgrounds, parking lots and excess land at five of the district's six schools. The project is expected to offset about 98% of the district's electricity costs over time.
Construction of the solar project will begin early in 2012 and should be completed by the spring.
The project is being handled by TerraVerde Renewable Partners of Larkspur, CA, which develops solar energy facilities for local and state governments, school districts, non-profit organizations and commercial real estate owners. The company is also handling similar projects at the Sonoma County YMCA and Petaluma City Schools, as well as the Big Pine, Clovis, Dinuba and Kings Canyon Unified School Districts.
TerraVerde President Rick Brown stated at the signing that Fowler's electricity costs are "the highest non-personnel costs in their entire budget. So to be able to find a way to control and reduce that cost is a significant benefit to the kids because that money is then going into the classroom."
The school district will invest about $4.8M from general obligation bonds, but because of SB 585, it will receive rebates of $793,000. The district should save about $2.5M in energy costs over the first 5 years, and the project will pay for itself within 11 years.
Governor Brown also signed two other bills into law: Assembly Bill 1150 authorizes the California Public Utilities Commission to collect funds for the Self-Generation Incentive Program through December 31, 2014, while Senate Bill 16 requires the Department of Fish & Game to expedite their permitting process for renewable energy projects.
