San Domenico School, the oldest independent Catholic school in California, and Recurrent Energy, a leading solar power developer and the industry pioneer in Solar as a Service(SM), today announced the planned installation of a 412 kilowatt solar energy system. The project will require more than 2,300 photovoltaic panels, spread across several roof- and ground-mounted arrays – in total, offsetting nearly 85% of San Domenico’s expected annual electricity costs.
Scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, the project will be owned and operated by Recurrent Energy. The company is working in tandem with Sonoma, CA-based Solaris Solar for construction and Marin, CA-based GreenLight Solar, LLC for initial project design and development consulting. Under its Solar as a Service offering, Recurrent Energy will sell 100% of the electricity through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), supplying San Domenico with financial predictability and reduced energy costs, without the upfront capital costs and risks of ownership.
The installations in total are expected to reduce carbon emissions by 860,000 pounds annually as determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). That is equivalent to removing 70 vehicles from the road, preserving 3 acres of forest from deforestation, or serving 60 U.S. households’ electricity needs.
“We established our Sustainability Program in 1995 with a curriculum that introduces students from pre-kindergarten through high school with the knowledge, values, and problem solving skills needed to build a livable and sustainable future,” said Sister Gervaise Valpey, O.P., San Domenico School’s President Emerita. “After several years of research, San Domenico is excited to move ahead with the solar installation from Recurrent Energy, and we’re already actively involving students in the process to effect similar changes at home and in the larger community.”
“San Domenico’s dedication to significant environmental and sustainability initiatives is impressive – they are setting the example for schools nationwide,” said Recurrent Energy’s CEO, Arno Harris. “We are pleased to work together to make this showcase solar project a reality.”
San Domenico School joins Recurrent Energy’s list of recent Solar as a Service adopters, including The North Face with a 1 megawatt project in Visalia, California, and The City and County of San Francisco’s 5 megawatt planned installation – the largest municipal solar photovoltaic project in the U.S.
For additional information on San Domenico School’s sustainability initiatives, ranging from energy efficiency programs to ecological literacy, visit www.sandomenico.org. To learn more about Recurrent Energy and Solar as Service, visit www.recurrentenergy.com.
About San Domenico School
Founded in 1850, San Domenico is the oldest independent Catholic school in California. Situated on 512 acres in Marin County, the School is sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael. San Domenico is dedicated to providing values-based, Catholic education for students of all faiths and cultural backgrounds worldwide. With more than 500 students in grades Pre-K through grade 12, San Domenico offers a co-educational day school program through 8th grade, and a girls’ day and boarding school for grades 9 through 12. San Domenico School is the recipient of the National Association of Independent Schools’ 2007 “Leading Edge” award for sustainability. In 2008, the school’s Garden of Hope was registered as a Bay-Friendly School Garden by StopWaste.Org, the Alameda County Waste Management Authority which promotes waste reduction.
About Recurrent Energy
Recurrent Energy is a leading solar power developer and an industry pioneer in Solar as a Service(SM). The company owns and operates onsite solar power systems, selling clean electricity to its customers at grid-competitive rates. By overcoming the barriers preventing widespread adoption of distributed solar power, Recurrent Energy makes solar a practical choice for today’s large energy users in the commercial, government, and utility markets. For more information on Recurrent Energy and Solar as a Service, please visit www.recurrentenergy.com.
Comments