by Shane Henson — April 17, 2013—Chevron Energy Solutions recently announced that it will be working with the City of Patterson in Stanislaus County, California, to make the municipality much more sustainable through multiple energy-saving avenues.
According to Chevron Energy Solutions, its agreement with the city includes developing and launching solar installations and energy efficiency programs, as well as finding other ways to reduce the city’s energy costs. Working with Chevron Energy Solutions, the city will install solar panels to generate clean, renewable power for the city’s sewage treatment plants, corporation yard, and senior and aquatic centers. It is anticipated the solar installations will provide over 90 percent of the facilities’ energy requirements. Changing streetlights to more efficient light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures is also expected to save over $200,000 per year in electricity expense, says Chevron Energy Solutions.
In addition, the city and Chevron Energy Solutions have engaged WattzOn, a community-based energy-efficiency non-profit, to help residents and business owners identify free and low-cost ways to reduce their energy use through free energy audits. The collaboration, to be called The Capacity Project, will also build workforce capacity in cleantech and energy by training and hiring Patterson high school students as energy auditors, being paid $14 per hour. Energy savings from the program are expected to create more disposable income for households and businesses, stimulating the local economy.
