Standard solar acquires 7-MW California schools solar project portfolio

Standard Solar, a solar developer and financing company, has acquired a 7-MW portfolio of distributed generation (DG) solar projects for the Lake Elsinore Unified School District (LEUSD) in Lake Elsinore, California.

Standard Solar will finance, own and operate all eight projects which are currently planned for phased development, with all systems expected to be online in 2020. The projects were developed by Lamb Energy, of Riverside California. Stronghold Engineering, an award-winning design and construction firm, will install the projects.

The projects include a 3-MW ground-mount array at the 75-acre capped West Riverside Landfill, for which the property has been leased from the Riverside County Department of Waste Resources (DWR). The landfill system will sell its electricity to Southern California Edison who will in turn issue bill credits to the power bills for 29 power meters of schools and buildings in LEUSD that are not suitable candidates for on-site solar.

The remaining projects will consist of 4 MW of solar canopies at seven schools in the LEUSD: Canyon Lake Middle School, David Brown Middle School, Lakeland Village School, Lakeside High School, Temescal Canyon High School, Terra Cotta Middle School and Ortega Continuation High School.

These projects were started with the formation of a joint power authority among the Unified School Districts of Riverside County, California. The organization, the Riverside County Public Agency Energy Alliance (RCPAEA), is headed by Gregory Bowers, Assistant Superintendent of the LEUSD and founding RCPAEA Executive Officer

“The RCPAEA will serve as an efficient means for its members to source renewable energy, a resource for the education of environmental matters including information, strategies and projects relating to energy conservation, energy-cost savings, clean and/or alternative energy generation and share best practices going forward,” said Bowers. “We are excited to launch our Alliance with these solar projects.”

LEUSD superintendent, Doug Kimberly said, “We are excited to pioneer these innovative solar projects through the use of Standard Solar’s Power Purchase Agreement, enabling LEUSD to reduce its carbon footprint with a zero cost to district solution and enjoy the savings on the energy procurement for the next 25 years.”

“With the purchase of this eight-site project, Standard Solar is deepening its investment portfolio in California, which recently set another record with the most solar power ever flowing on the state’s main electric grid,” said Scott Wiater, president & CEO, Standard Solar. “We continue to fund projects and have enjoyed an active year of acquiring multiple MW of solar assets. We are proud to help customers like LEUSD significantly drive down their electricity expenses through solar.”

The eight projects are expected to generate 12,179,760 kWH of energy, enough to offset the CO2 emissions from 1,502 homes’ electricity use for one year.

“Developing these unique projects into a structure and form that worked to the benefit of all parties was the result of a team of industry experts working together to deliver cutting edge energy solutions,” said Scott Bailey, President, Lamb Energy Inc. “Standard Solar and Lamb Energy have worked arm [in] arm, tirelessly, to ensure its success. The county of Riverside and their team have always been supportive of our vision. Together, we will offset overhead costs of the school district that can now be utilized to provide educational resources to students in its territory, benefiting them for generations to come.”

Standard solar acquires 7-MW California schools solar project portfolio, by Billy Ludt, Solar Power World, September 23, 2019.