According to MEMC, the solar power deployment at the water treatment facility was made possible through a solar power service agreement between the City of San Diego and SunEdison that required no upfront costs from the city. The city will purchase the energy produced by the solar power system for 20 years.
The Otay Mesa solar power plant will generate approximately 1.5 million kWh of energy in the first year of operation and will produce approximately 27 million kWh over 20 years. The environmental attributes associated with the system will offset approximately 29 million pounds of carbon dioxide over the initial 20 years of operation.
This activation marks the second solar power deployment for the City of San Diego by SunEdison and is part of the city’s plan to deploy 5MW of solar capacity. SunEdison has already installed and operates a 1.1MW solar facility at the city’s Alvarado water treatment plant, which was activated in 2007.
Jaime Smith, vice president of sales at SunEdison, said: “SunEdison makes solar energy a natural choice for cities and governments across this nation. With a demonstrated track record, strong financing capabilities and solid supplier partnerships, SunEdison is able to offer solar energy solutions that require no upfront costs from the city while delivering long-term predictable energy pricing.”
