Foothill-De Anza Celebrates Solar Power and Energy Efficiency Improvements

[dArKeR]

LOS ALTOS HILLS, Calif., July 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Foothill-De Anza Community College District today announced it has completed the installation of more than 780 kilowatts of solar electric and energy-efficient cogeneration projects at both Foothill and De Anza colleges, including a moving solar-paneled parking structure that tracks the sun as it generates power. Along with prior improvements to lighting, air conditioning and energy management systems, the installations will reduce the district's electricity purchases by 46 percent -- more than 11 million kilowatt-hours annually -- and save the district about $800,000 a year.

The projects, which are funded in part from the energy savings they create, reduce the district's operating costs while lowering demand for power from the local utility, which in turn benefits the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The district's reduction in purchased power from the local utility translates to avoided local carbon dioxide emissions of more than 14 million pounds per year, equivalent to planting more than 2,000 acres of trees.

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