Butte College in Oroville, California, will become one of the first colleges in the United States to produce a surplus of renewable energy. The board of trustees has approved its Phase III solar project which calls for the installation of more than 14,000 Mitsubishi Electric solar modules capable of producing 3,481,920 kWh per year. This 2.7 MW DC installation is an addition to the 10,000 solar panels the college already employs, making the total system size 4.55 MW DC.

Butte College president Diana Van Der Ploeg says, “Once this solar project is completed, Butte College will provide enough clean renewable energy to cover all of our electricity needs and generate slightly more than we use---which will be a source of additional revenue for the college.”

The installation of the solar panels will be a joint venture between Chico Electric and DPR Energy which designs and installs commercial and residential solar systems in California.

Norm Nielsen, president of Chico Electric, notes, “We have worked with Butte College for years and are proud to facilitate this cutting-edge project for such a forward-thinking institution.”

The modules will be installed both on the ground and on rooftops.

Gina Heng, general manager of Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA’s Photovoltaic Division commended the college “for setting an example for its students, its community and other colleges in the nation by choosing solar energy as its energy source.”

The $17 million project is being funded by federal Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) as well as an allocation by the college from its annual budget allocated to purchasing electricity from the grid. Additionally, the college will receive almost $1 million in rebates from Pacific Gas & Electric, the California Solar Initiative and benefits from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act/CREBs allocations.

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