Borrego To Install 1.2 Megawatt Solar System for UCSD

[Editor's note: See related story on UCSD's solar power projects here. --D.N.]

Borrego Solar Systems announced that it has been selected by the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) to install a 1.2 megawatt solar electric system. The grid-connected system will provide approximately 2.4 million kilowatt hours of energy per year, contributing to the university’s overall sustainable energy goals.

According to Borrego, the system will consist of 5,790 Kyocera KD205 photovoltaic modules, mounted on buildings throughout the campus. The power generated by the panels will contribute to the university’s projected overall sustainable energy production of 29 million kilowatt hours annually. The solar system, in conjunction with other UCSD green energy efforts, is expected to offset 10,500 tons of carbon emissions per year.

“The sustainability program that UCSD has in place will not only dramatically reduce the university’s carbon footprint and energy costs, but it will also encourage green thinking among the student body and the San Diego community at large,” said Aaron Hall, CEO of Borrego Solar Systems, in a prepared statement. “The benefits of this type of sweeping project are far-reaching and long-lasting, and Borrego is proud to take part in this monumental effort by installing a solar energy system that will ensure he consistent production of renewable energy for years to come.”

At a total cost of $9 million, UCSD is financing the system through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Solar Power Partners (SPP). Under the agreement, SPP incurs all of the upfront capital costs, as well as operations and maintenance needs, and UCSD, in turn, purchases the energy produced by the system from Solar Power Partners, at a pre-negotiated price. According to the announcement, the partnership allows UCSD to meet long-term budgetary requirements, while continuing to enhance its sustainability efforts.

About the Author

Chris Riedel is a freelance writer based in Illinois. He can be reached here.

Featured

  • AI robot with cybersecurity symbol on its chest

    Microsoft Adds New Agentic AI Tools to Security Copilot

    Microsoft has announced a major expansion of its AI-powered cybersecurity platform, introducing a suite of autonomous agents to help organizations counter rising threats and manage the growing complexity of cloud and AI security.

  • modern college building with circuit and brain motifs

    Anthropic Launches Claude for Education

    Anthropic has announced a version of its Claude AI assistant tailored for higher education institutions. Claude for Education "gives academic institutions secure, reliable AI access for their entire community," the company said, to enable colleges and universities to develop and implement AI-enabled approaches across teaching, learning, and administration.

  • central cloud platform connected to various AI icons—including a brain, robot, and network nodes

    Linux Foundation to Host Protocol for AI Agent Interoperability

    The Linux Foundation has announced it will host the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol project, an open standard originally developed by Google to support secure communication and interoperability among AI agents.

  • open laptop in a college classroom with holographic AI icons like a brain and data charts rising from the screen

    4 Ways Universities Are Using Google AI Tools for Learning and Administration

    In a recent blog post, Google shared an array of education customer stories, showcasing ways institutions are using AI tools like Gemini and NotebookLM to transform both learning and administrative tasks.