Chevron Energy Solutions and California State University, Fresno, announced last week the completion of a large-scale solar power installation at Fresno State that will supply 20 percent of the university’s annual power needs.

The 1.1-megawatt solar system—the largest photovoltaic (PV)-paneled parking installation at a U.S. university—is expected to save Fresno State more than $13 million in avoided utility costs over its 30-year lifespan.

The 10 structures, which provide the only shaded parking on the campus, comprise 3,872 photovoltaic panels mounted on top of more than 700 carport stalls constructed in parking lots on the southeast side of campus. The renewable energy system is expected to generate more than 1.5 million kilowatt hours of power each year, offsetting the production of about 950 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions—equivalent to planting more than 24,300 new trees or removing more than 200 cars from the road every year.

What’s interesting about this?

Three things. One, At the ceremony, CSUF President Welty declared “This project is just one of the university’s ‘green campus’ initiatives.” - not just a single, one-off solar project.

Two, he also signed the Talloires Declaration. What is the Talloires Declaration? I thought you’d never ask:

The Talloires Declaration:
University Presidents for a Sustainable Future

We, the presidents, rectors, and vice chancellors of universities from all regions of the world are deeply concerned about the unprecedented scale and speed of environmental pollution and degradation, and the depletion of natural resources. Local, regional, and global air pollution; accumulation and distribution of toxic wastes; destruction and depletion of forests, soil, and water; depletion of the ozone layer and emission of “green house” gases threaten the survival of humans and thousands of other living species, the integrity of the earth and its biodiversity, the security of nations, and the heritage of future generations. These environmental changes are caused by inequitable and unsustainable production and consumption patterns that aggravate poverty in many regions of the world.

We believe that urgent actions are needed to address these fundamental problems and reverse the trends. Stabilization of human population, adoption of environmentally sound industrial and agricultural technologies, reforestation, and ecological restoration are crucial elements in creating an equitable and sustainable future for all humankind in harmony with nature. Universities have a major role in the education, research, policy formation, and information exchange necessary to make these goals possible.

In essence, any University that signs it is committing itself to a 10-point action plan to incorporate sustainability and environmental literacy into teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities. It has been signed by more than 350 university presidents and chancellors in 40-plus countries.

Three, the project was financed in part by a $2.8 million rebate from the State of California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program, but the rest was financed by MMA Renewable Ventures. Fresno State is merely providing the space for the project, and MMA owns the PV panels and the power they generate. Fresno State will then buy back the power at a competitive rate under a 20-year contract.

This is fairly new business model that is being fast adopted by solar installation companies that are now financing their projects to bring down the upfront costs of solar power, especially in California where there are ample local, state, and federal rebates available for solar installations. This has created a boom in the solar installation market, and we’ll be covering this topic in greater depth in the future.