Learn about the City of Brea’s solar installs and resulting savings in this SCE case study here, also excerpted below.
Three solar energy systems installed in the City of Brea in Orange County—combined with an array of energy efficiency measures—are demonstrating how cities can save money and address budget challenges while showcasing environmental leadership. Thecity installed 1.8 megawatts (MW) of roof-mounted solar energy panels in 2011 on three facilities:
- The Community Center, with a 428-kilowatt (kW) system that generates electricity for the facility, plus provides shaded parking spaces for patrons as a result of solar arrays added over the center’s main parking lot;
- The Civic and Cultural Center, with a 263-kW system that also generates building electricity while using a large canopy of panels to create shade over the open outdoor plaza; and,
- The Reservoir City Pump Yard, with a 1.15-MW system that powers energy-intensive water pumps, resulting in cost controls for the city’s Water Fund.
According to the city, these installations make Brea the largest municipal producer of solar energy in Orange County, while offsetting 1,833 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year and achieving an estimated $13 million over 25 years. Keep reading SCE’s case study here.