SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Mission College, Gilbane Co., a full-service
construction company, and SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR), today
announced the dedication of a 1.1-megawatt (MW) solar power system
at Mission College, located in
Santa Clara, Calif. Over the
25-year-life of the system, Mission
College is expected to save approximately $8.5 million in electricity costs.
"The SunPower installation will greatly reduce our campus'
operating expenses, allowing the College to direct precious general
fund dollars toward academic programs, supplies and teachers," said
Mission College President Dr.
Laurel Jones. "We are excited to be
a model of sustainability for our student body and local community
by introducing sustainable practices throughout our campus,
including the new solar power system, development of clean tech
curriculum and construction of LEED-designed, energy-efficient
buildings."
The 1.5-acre, 1.1 MW parking lot canopy structure will generate
approximately one-third of Mission
College's electricity demand, while reducing energy costs
and providing shading for parked vehicles. Comprised of 2,640
high-efficiency, SunPower® E19 / 425 Solar Panels, the system will
generate up to 50 percent more energy for the college than a
similarly-sized system with conventional solar panels.
"At a time when schools are hard-pressed to reduce operating
expenses, SunPower is working with K-12 schools, community colleges
and universities to finance solar power solutions that supply
significant, ongoing savings," said SunPower Managing Director
Bill Kelly. "To realize a great
return on its investment in clean energy, Mission College wisely utilized low-interest
financing mechanisms accessible to educational institutions and
selected a system with guaranteed long-term energy performance and
the highest efficiency, highest reliability on the market
today."
SunPower is actively installing solar power systems at more than
90 educational facilities in Calif. during the 2011 to 2012
academic year. Over the last month, SunPower has celebrated the
completion of installations at seven schools, including the
1.1-megawatt system at Mission College.
The company has also built systems for community colleges including
Bakersfield College, Mendocino College, Napa Valley
College, Ohlone College, the
Foothill-DeAnza Community College District, and the Los Angeles Community College District.
SunPower has more than 750 large solar power systems in operation
or under contract globally.
About Mission College
Mission College is a California Community College located in
Santa Clara. Enrolling nearly
10,000 students in 70 different transfer, vocational, basic skills
and general education programs, Mission
is the premier college for students in Santa Clara County and the general South Bay
region. Mission is part of the West
Valley-Mission Community College District, based in Saratoga, California. For additional
information, visit www.missioncollege.edu.
About SunPower
SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) designs, manufactures and delivers
the highest efficiency, highest reliability solar panels and
systems available today. Residential, business, government and
utility customers rely on the company's quarter century of
experience and guaranteed performance to provide maximum return on
investment throughout the life of the solar system. Headquartered
in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has
offices in North America,
Europe, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit
www.SunPowercorp.com.
About Gilbane Co.
Gilbane Inc. (http://www.gilbaneco.com) is a full-service
construction and is comprised of Gilbane Building Company and
Gilbane Development Company. Gilbane Building Company is one of the
largest construction and program managers in the nation, and
provides a full slate of facilities-related services for clients in
the life sciences, transportation, healthcare, convention/cultural,
government, educational, mission-critical, corporate,
sports/recreational, and criminal justice markets.
SunPower is a registered trademark of SunPower Corp.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
SOURCE SunPower Corp.