by Shane Henson — October 14, 2011—Kyocera Solar Inc., a global supplier of environmentally sound, solar electric energy solutions, and the Associated Students of San Diego State University (ASDSU) have announced the completion of a 355.9 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic energy system on the school’s campus, part of a student-approved plan to build a new Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum student union building.
In an effort that brought together San Diego-area partners, the construction was completed by Independent Energy Solutions Inc. of Vista, California using 1,680 Kyocera KD240 solar modules produced at Kyocera’s San Diego manufacturing facility.
Mounted on a carport structure on a campus parking building, the system was designed by Independent Energy Solutions to resist wind uplift and to mitigate seismic concerns, providing added assurance for long-term efficiency and adaptability. The utility-tied system has an expected yearly power production of 583,267 kilowatt hours (kWh)—reportedly enough energy to power almost 100 area homes each year.
The Associated Students of San Diego State University, a student-directed corporation, funded the system. Financing came as a result of a 2008 student-approved fee referendum directing a portion of funds to promote sustainability initiatives, including educational programs and facility upgrades. Funding was aided in part by a California Solar Initiative Performance Based Incentive, a program that focuses on how much electricity the system produces over five years.
The success of the SDSU initiative shows the interest many college students have in making their campus more sustainable, and may spark similar projects at other institutions of higher learning.
