BREA, CA, February 7, 2011 – The largest municipal solar power project in Orange County is currently under construction in the City of Brea. The project, located at the city’s Community Center, Civic and Cultural Center and Reservoir City Pump Yard, consists of 7,854 solar modules from Sharp. When completed, the City of Brea’s solar power project will provide the city with 1.8 megawatts of clean, renewable energy.
The solar power project is expected to help the City of Brea reduce carbon emissions by more than 86,000 metric tons, equivalent to removing more than 16,000 cars from the road over the life of the project. The project is also providing more than 25 opportunities for employment and more than 125 indirect jobs with an estimated $3 million impact to the local economy.
The City of Brea’s Solar System was designed and is being constructed by Chevron Energy Solutions. The project, in combination with other energy efficiency initiatives, is expected to reduce the city’s energy use by up to 40 percent and save the city more than $13 million over the life of the project. The project is expected to be completed in 2011.
“Sharp is happy to provide solar panels to Chevron Energy Solutions in their work to help the City of Brea to become the largest municipal producer of solar energy in Orange County,” said Eric Hafter, senior vice president of Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group. “We’re delighted to add the City of Brea to our growing portfolio of municipal solar power projects.”
The City of Brea will use Sharp’s NU-235F1 solar modules. Using breakthrough technology, made possible by nearly 50 years of proprietary research and development, this panel offers high power output per square foot of solar array.