The California Energy Commission has awarded the Pittsburg Unified School District a $1.8 million low-interest loan to carry out energy upgrades.
The loan will enable the school system to install a 150-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system at Marina Vista Elementary School. The system will produce enough energy to meet most of the school’s electricity needs. In addition, the Pittsburg district will be able to retrofit interior and exterior lights at nine schools. Interior lights will be switched to T-8 fluorescent lights with electric ballasts, and exterior lights will be replaced with LED lights.
Occupancy sensors with door controls will be installed at three elementary schools to reduce unnecessary heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
The commission estimates that the energy upgrades will save the Pittsburg district about $140,000 a year in energy costs. The loan payback period for the project is about 12.6 years.
