Helix Water District Unveils New Clean Energy Source in San Diego County

EL CAJON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Helix Water District, today announced the activation of a 290 kilowatt (KW) solar photovoltaic (PV) system. The zero-emission system, located at The Nat L. Eggert Operations Center (OC), was deployed through a partnership with Borrego Solar Systems, Inc., a leading designer and installer of grid-tied solar electric power systems, and the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE). To celebrate the new system, The District will host an unveiling event on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 10 a.m. PT.
  
“Clean drinking water is one of our nation’s most important natural resources,” said DeAna Verbeke, President of The Helix Water District Board of Directors. “By working with the CCSE and Borrego Solar to incorporate solar, we have taken a step forward in combining water conservation with clean energy generation.”

The system will be operated and maintained under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Borrego Solar. Through the PPA, The District will purchase 454,000 kWhs per year of clean energy, approximately 90 percent of the energy consumed annually by the OC.

“The ongoing commitment from forward-thinking organizations like The Helix Water District is key to enabling the accelerated adoption of solar energy,” said Mike Hall, CEO of Borrego Solar Systems, Inc. “We are thrilled to have been selected by The District to be a part this project and be able to help them take advantage of the long-term financial and environmental benefits of clean, renewable solar power.”

The cost of the project was substantially offset by a $463,900 rebate from the California Solar Initiative awarded by the CCSE in San Diego. During the planning phase, The District contracted with CCSE's Energy Advisory Service to conduct an independent energy analysis in order to better understand the potential energy and cost savings of a solar power installation at their facility.

“This project is a terrific example of how to specify and procure a solar installation that will reduce energy costs while providing valuable shade to protect district equipment,” said Jon Fortune, consulting manager for CCSE’s Energy Advisory Service. “Helix Water District and Borrego Solar have shown how solar projects can be combined with shade structures to make the most of available funding.”

Over 20 years of production, the zero-emission system will offset more than an estimated 11.9 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2) that would have been emitted during the production of electricity from fossil fuels. This is the equivalent of planting 107 acres of trees or conserving nearly 18,000 barrels of oil.

Media interested in attending the event on March 30th or speaking with the organizations involved prior to the event may contact Schwartz Communications at (415) 512-0770 or borregosolar@schwartzcomm.com.