The Innovative Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Deployment Project deployed energy-saving measures at the City of San Leandro’s Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) to help meet the goals of the 2009 Climate Action Plan: A Vision of a Sustainable San Leandro. The installation of a commercial-scale solar array is a big part of how the project meets its goals.
The solar array produces about 1000 kilowatts of electricity at its peak generation, or 1 megawatt (MW). Over the course of a year, it will produce about 1.6 million kilowatt hours of electricity. Because it reduces the load on fossil-fuel power plants, this will prevent the release of over 2,700,000 pounds of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually. By doing so, it will mitigate the impacts of climate change for the benefit of all Californians.
The Climate Action Plan (CAP) goals include reducing community-wide GHG emissions by 25 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. The most recent GHG inventory numbers from 2017 show this goal is well on its way to being met, with data showing a 20 percent reduction. The first year of performance data from the solar array is being collected and will help San Leandro meet its CAP goal. It also contributes to meeting the the State of California's AB 32, SB 32 and SB 350 goals.