Kyocera Solar Inc. and the town of Parker, AZ, recently commissioned a 175kW solar energy project. The effort was developed and financed through Kyocera’s in-house Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) program, which enables towns, school districts and other entities to enjoy the benefits of solar energy with no up-front costs.
This innovative method of financing solar installations will transform the abundant Arizona sunshine into renewable energy to benefit Parker. The carport installations, which cover portions of the parking areas for Parker’s town hall, library and senior center, will shade approximately 50 cars from solar heat while simultaneously harnessing the sun’s energy. The 700 Kyocera high-efficiency solar panels and 12 SMA inverters will generate an estimated 300 MWh of electricity annually to offset approximately 80% of the electricity consumed by the three buildings.
“By stabilizing our town’s electricity bills for decades to come, we’re providing a brighter future to Parker’s residents,” said Timothy Edwards, Public Works Director for the town of Parker.
This project, installed by Photovoltaic Systems Manufacturing of Mesa, AZ, benefits from a production-based incentive under the Arizona Public Service’s “Solar for Schools and Government” program. It represents the latest U.S. solar project developed using Kyocera’s in-house financing programs — which also include a 1.6 MW installation for the Madison School District in Phoenix.
Brian Cowan, Director of PV Project Solutions for Scottsdale, AZ-based Kyocera Solar Inc., commented, “Many people focus on driving down the cost per-watt in a solar installation, but the cost of financing also has a significant impact on the customer’s cost per-kWh. By combining Kyocera’s premium product, systems engineering expertise and attractive financing, we offer an unbeatable combination.”