Solar car ports soak up big savings

What's with the weird new carports at East L.A. College? Tiffany Hsu has the scoop:

The seven carports covering the northwest parking lot at East Los Angeles College now feature some of the country’s most innovative, energy-efficient technology, but there’s an added bonus: Students are delighted that they can park their cars in the shade.

Officials from the Los Angeles Community College District today revealed the 1.2-megawatt solar farm spread over the 3-acre, 530-spot space in Monterey Park. With 5,952 photovoltaic panels tapping energy, the array is expected to last at least 40 years and provide up to 45% of the college’s electricity needs.

But with clear skies and good weather lately, the panels have been performing better than expected, said Raoul L. Wood, a project manager for Chevron Energy Solutions who designed the array.

The project is just part of the district’s plan to “green” its nine colleges with more than $2.2 billion in bond funding approved by Los Angeles voters in 2001 and 2003.

Eventually, officials hope the entire district will be able to go “off the grid” by deriving all of its energy from alternative sources. When construction and renovation is completed, 44 buildings will meet the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design certification standards developed by the U.S. Green Buildings Council.

Savings should total about $270,000 per year, and offset the production of 1,160 tons of carbon dioxide emissions –- equivalent to removing 320 cars from the streets.

--Veronique de Turenne

Photo: Karen Tapia-Anderson / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[erick huerta]

I was there for the inauguration. I had to go to my math class and couldn't stay for the entire ceremony but I didn't leave without taking a 100 percent organic cotton shirt and a sweat band that reads "Stop Global Warming Now."

[Jay McCormick]

I am very eager to obtain more information about the revolutionary Solar Carports installed at the East L.A. College, as featured in this blog.

Could you please provide me with information about the following (or contact resources for such):

1) How long did it take to construct this 1.2-megawatt installation?

2) What portions of the parking lot were available for student use during the installation, or was the entire 530-spot lot closed during construction?

3) What are the wind-load ratings (what wind-speed is this system rated to withstand)?

4) What kind of maintenance will be required for the solar panels over their 40-year lifespan?

5) What is the rated electrical conversion efficiency of the solar panels?

6) How much will this efficiency (electricity production rate) change over time, if at all?

7) What is the contact information for the project management party(-ies) responsible for oversight of the East L.A. College solar installation?

8) What is the contact information of the company that manufactured the solar panels?

9) What is the contact information of the company that installed the solar panels?

10) What is the contact information for Chevron Energy Solutions who designed the solar array?

11) What was the total cost for just this Solar Carport installation (a total bond funding value for the nine colleges is identified, but not the specific cost for this project)?

12) Would you please identify the other nine schools that are next slated to receive similar Solar Carport installations, and the contact information for their supervisor/coordinator?

13) I've noticed that the term "off-grid" or "off the grid" (as stated in the last paragraph of this blog) usually refers to electrical generation systems that are not connected to the utility company's infrastructure. That is, they do not feed their electricity into the utility power lines ("grid"), and usually have a means to store the electrical power that is generated so they can use it for later (low or no-sun) situations. Alternatively, the majority of the renewable systems in the U.S. appear to fall into the category of "grid-tied", where the electricity that is produced by the renewable energy system is fed into the utility power lines, spinning the meter backwards when there is more energy produced than is consumed by the customer. Would you please clarify what this blog's use of the term "off the grid" refers to?

14) If this system is fully "off grid", what are the details relating to the energy storage systems?

Thank you very much for your assistance, and please keep this kind of reporting coming!

[nezhat d. derakhshan]

I still remember when I was a college student in Iran and seeing that some revolutionary students were breaking (even sometimes using bombs)the windows of many branches of Bank of Omran which belonged to Shah of Iran.I was a pacifist and I could not wait to leave Iran and the scenes of civil unrest.
When I see these unprotected solar panels and knowing that our Moslem population is growing and they have nagging complains against Hollywood(rightly so) plus the fact that a large majority of them are people of Palistine who are very quick in throwing stones( or shoes for that matter!!!) at anything or anyone when they are angry ,I can't help but to be fearful concernung these panels.I know that these beautiful panels will be the targets of terrorists who hate anything good or right.Barriers should be built with large grids over them made of heavy and strong metals with a reasonable distance from the panels to fend off the shocks of a thrown stone or even a small bomb.
We need to protect these panels ,not only in your college but everywhere in America since they are symbol of our independence from foriegn oil which pays for the money for terrorists and their bombs. Thank you,Nezhat.

[Greg spatz]

How can I contact the manufacturer?

[davea0511]

Nezhat-

You are correct that these seem like good targets, but they aren't as fragile as they look. I suspect most would be salvaged.

I also suspect that most Muslims are like you, mostly pacifists, and those who live here who are angry and prone to violence are smart enough to know blowing up structures would be counter-intuitive and justify the anti-Muslim media. Those very few who don't care about the negative effect it would have on the Muslim community are terrorists who will go for maximum impact in a suicide raid targeted at mass casualties, not solar roofs.

[Bill Chung]

Dear Madam/ Sir
Ningbo Juncheng Industrial Group Co.,Ltd is a professional exporter and manufacturer.
We own products
Photovoltaic
Sunlight supplying electricity equipment utilizes sunlight into electric energy,
providing supplying electricity equipment of 220V, 380V alternating current for
industry, agriculture, national defense, communicating, culture, health, science,
public careers and civil equipment. The power can be large or small. We can produce
the equipment from dozens of watt to million of watt.

Welcome to vist our website ( www.raizenter.com ) and if you have any questiones,pls feel free to contact us.
Best regards
Bill Chung
NingBo JunCheng Industrial Group Co., Ltd
Add: Room 802, No.1,Lane 1379 Zhongshan East Road,Ningbo,Zhejiang,China
315000
Tel: 0086-574-87779212
Fax: 0086-574-87778733