SolarCity and City of Sacramento Plan to Install Solar Panels to Generate Renewable Power

Sacramento City Council has accorded its approval for a joint solar energy project by  the City of Sacramento and SolarCity. The joint venture signed between the two companies will allow them to commence the installation of more than 8,000 solar panels at four sites owned by the municipality during the later part of the year.

The 1.9 MW project, considered to be the largest solar power project ventured by the City of Sacramento, when completed will produce around 2.6 million kWh of clean electricity in the first year of operations, which is enough to power over 250 households. The sites chosen for the installation of solar panels include the City Hall located in the business district of Sacramento, the corporation yard on Meadowview Road where the sanitation fleet and other offices of the city are located. The power produced can also be used to supply electricity to buildings at 300 Richards Boulevard where building and planning offices and the police department have their offices and the South Area Corporation Yard off Fruitridge and 28th Street.

The solar installations will be financed, erected, and managed by SolarCity. The City of Sacramento has entered into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with SolarCity to buy the power generated from the installations at a competitive rate. The energy purchase rate is expected to be less than the grid connected power for an agreed number of years thus saving on the tax payer’s money.