SDSU Installs Its Second Largest Solar Array

SAN DIEGO — Those at San Diego State University are committed to clean energy. SDSU is now powering one of its busiest student facilities with solar energy. The Aztec Recreation Center is the newest addition to student initiated sustainability projects on campus. The ARC is managed by the student group, Associated Students and will be the second largest solar array on campus.

“This project represents the student led initiative for sustainability on campus,” said Morgan Chan, Sustainability Commissioner of Associated Students. “Sustainability is important to the students, the size of this project and the great savings we will have because the new solar array really stands out to people within the Associated Students and the larger University community as well.”

The students are heavily involved in seeing green improvements throughout the campus. The funding to build the new solar installation at ARC came from a student made referendum that was passed by the SDSU student body in spring 2008 in order to provide the campus with sustainable upgrades as well as additional programming.

The recent solar project was installed by San Diego-based Sullivan Solar Power and will save 11.3 million pounds of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere over the next 20 years, according to Sullivan Solar Power.

“This is the sixth solar project we have done for Associated Students and it is great to see that there is such a strong commitment coming from SDSU’s student leadership,” said Daniel Sullivan, founder and president of Sullivan Solar Power. “During an era of budget cuts and furlough days in higher education, it is reassuring that the Aztecs are setting a national example and doing their part to save students money.”

The net project cost after rebates is $500,000 and the Associated Students will save nearly $65,000 per year or about $1.6 million over the 25 year lifetime of the project, according to Sullivan Solar Power.