July 31, 2006—Kyocera Solar recently announced that it has supplied the solar modules for a “colossal” solar electric generating facility at the Electrical Training Institute of Southern California (ETI), a higher education and advanced technology facility in the City of Commerce, near Los Angeles.
With peak output rated at 457 kilowatts, and the capacity to provide close to 900,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, the facility is one of the largest privately owned solar power generating systems in the US, says Kyocera.
Completed in April 2006, the solar electric system is operated jointly by the Los Angeles County Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 11.
The system will generate 80% of the total electrical needs of the 144,000-square-foot ETI facility. It will help power the ETI’s classrooms, labs, and office space, as well as the adjoining IBEW Local Union 11 and Pension Trust offices.
According to Kyocera, the unusually high annual energy output from the system reduces the Institute’s consumption of fossil fuels, achieving unprecedented fuel savings while protecting the environment. During peak energy production times, the 457-kilowatt power system will produce enough energy to surplus, causing power to flow out into the utility grid and in turn reduce the ETI’s consumption and cost.
For more information on Kyocera Solar Energy Systems, visit online.
