Mesa College’s construction projects in parking lots no. 1 and 2 incorporate photovoltaic systems that will allow Mesa to generate its own electricity using solar power.

The system, which the San Diego Community College District is also installing at both Miramar and City colleges, is being created by the construction of carports in the parking lots, as well as the roofing of the parking structure, saving the SDCCD $50,000 in utility bills.

The District has made negotiations with a private contractor, Borrego Solar, to design and build this system.

Ryan Murphy, SDCCD’s Construction Manager, indicated that Borrego Solar through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) would cover all costs.

“The district has hired a private contractor to build this system to negotiate a PPA, which allows the district to buy power through Borrego Solar at a fixed rate that is lower than what SDG&E could provide,” Murphy said.

“In turn, because Borrego Solar is a private contractor, they can receive tax incentives and rebates from the state of California to build and design this system,” Murphy continued.

The 5,000 solar panels installed between the two lots and the roof of the parking structure are capable of generating up to one megawatt of electricity, which could supply power to 500 single family homes.

The project will provide enough electricity to power various parts of the campus according to Ron Perez, Mesa’s Vice President of Administrative Services.

“The panels in the parking structure will generate power for both the parking structure and the campus police building, and the panels in lots no. 1 and 2 will accommodate the I-300 building, as well as other parts of campus,” Perez said. “The project will also create shading for the lots by constructing the carports.”

Halston Rowe, the Site Superintendent for Mesa, Miramar, and City colleges along with Max Sugihara, the Director of Operations at Borrego Solar, say the project will offset 25% of Mesa’s electricity bill.

The project initially started in late June and was supposed to be completed before the fall semester began. Though the delay comes at no additional cost to Mesa College or the district, and Borrego Solar is covering all delay costs, it has caused an issue with parking.

“Because we are now in the semester and parking is the way it is, we would like construction to take place during a break, such a Thanksgiving or even at the end of the semester,” Perez said.

However, Borrego Solar currently has plans to work during the semester, completing the construction in the parking lots in phases. Because Borrego Solar has deadlines, Rowe has said waiting for a break to complete the project wouldn’t be likely.

“We will work weekends to avoid parking dilemmas, but we aren’t sure what exact days we will be working,” Rowe said. “We are expecting completion by the end of the year.”