Cabrillo USD Takes First Step Toward Solar Power

On a unanimous vote, board members of the Cabrillo Unified School District Thursday night decided to move forward in exploring the feasibility of solar energy systems for the District.  A Request for Information (RFI) that contains district objectives, current utility usage levels and other options, will be circulated and posted on solar energy websites in California.

Between June 2008 and May 2009, the District spent about $370,000 in energy costs.  Almost half of that cost, a little over $170,000, was expended for three sources:  Half Moon Bay High School, the high school's heated pool, and Cunha Middle School.  Concerned about the increasing costs, in 2009 the board formed a solar energy committee.  After two years of research, the results of the committee's work were presented last night.

"Challenges about the technical side (of solar) have been worked through in the past five years," said TJ Glauthier, an energy consultant that worked as a civilian member of the board.  "The financing approach has been where there has been innovation.  Two years ago, when the board started, there were far fewer PPA's.  Careful planning is now the key."

PPA's, or power purchase agreements, are what the new world of solar power is all about.  With PPA's, businesses, or in this case, the school district, has no upfront or capital outlays.  That's important for the Cabrillo School District, already facing large budget shortfalls.  In essence, PPA's allow entities to lease the solar power from companies who provide the hardware.

Glauthier outlined three identified goals of the committee:

1-To tie in with present curricula being taught in Half Moon Bay schools that instructing students about "green energy."

2-To realize budgetary savings by switching away from present energy suppliers and moving to solar.

3-To provide a sustainability model for students and the Half Moon Bay community.

Several other schools in the Bay Area and California have seen the light of solar.  Pacifica and Oceano schools moved to solar power in November, 2010.  Santa Cruz High School moved to solar in 2008;  other schools are expected to follow shortly.  Schools in the Mount Diablo School District, in Lodi, in Pittsburgh, in San Ramon and in Morgan Hill have either gone online with solar or begun the process.  Eight campuses of the California State University system have completed solar installation;  seven more are committed.

The Request For Information declaration which passed last night is only exploratory in nature.  It does not commit the District to move forward.  Though the REI passed unanimously, at least two board members expressed initial concerns.  Clerk Kirk Reimer wondered "If we're only realizing a 20% savings from our present costs, I have to wonder if the proposal is worth it."  Glauthier responded, saying "If we can get several solar bids, we might do better, and the technology costs of solar are coming down."

Board Vice-President Charles Gardner was more vocal.  "I hate to be the wet blanket here, but I think it's too early.  I would support the RFI, but we will need some money up front.  We're going to be looking at more cuts down the line, and I'm skeptical of doing it."

If it chooses to move forward, the District has prioritized implementing the solar plan in four phases:

a-Heating the pool at Half Moon Bay

b-Energy costs for Half Moon Bay High School

c-Energy costs for Cunha Middle School

d-Energy costs for all remaining schools in the District, and for the District office

Hardware options for implementing solar power in the District include a solar parking structure, solar rooftops, or a solar thermal structure.  Pacifica uses rooftops.

Responses to the RFI are due in the District office by 2pm on June 3.  After that date, the school board will review the matter and decide whether to move to phase two of the project.