ForeFront Power, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co. Ltd., installed a 1.4 MW solar energy and storage system at the Newark Memorial High School and Newark Junior High School in California.
The smart battery storage system complements the Newark Unified School District’s solar project. It will support the system during maximum electricity usage periods and reduce the impact of peak charges.
The District's solar energy portfolio will generate 1,737,639 kWh of clean energy. It will contribute to avoiding 1,231 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to pulling 265 cars off the road annually.
“The cost savings from our new solar energy and storage system will help us fund and expand new educational programs to enhance the quality of learning for all our students,” Newark USD Superintendent Mark Triplett said. “Locking in rates through on-site solar and battery storage in an era of rising costs helps us better leverage taxpayer dollars to serve our students and their families."
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The partnership with ForeFront Power will provide the District access to a real-time performance monitoring platform so it can develop reports regarding environmental offsets and savings.
"Newark USD has taken this step to ensure that its facilities are equipped with climate resilient and cost-effective renewable energy solutions," said Rachel McLaughlin, ForeFront Power's Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "The project's fixed rate will protect the District's budget from utility rate hikes for the next two decades, and the installed, intelligent battery storage system further increases the financial savings for the District."