Marin County’s largest solar installation debuted in October at the San Rafael Airport. Muir Beach-based Synapse Electric installed the 972 kW AC project, which is now supplying locally-grown renewable energy to Marin Clean Energy (MCE) customers.
Published: November, 2012
Marin County’s largest solar installation debuted in October at the San Rafael Airport. Muir Beach-based Synapse Electric installed the 972 kW AC project, which is now supplying locally-grown renewable energy to Marin Clean Energy (MCE) customers.
MCE will purchase 100 percent of the power generated from more than 4,600 panels on 48 hangar rooftops. The power will then be distributed through PG&E’s existing power lines. This project, which produced its first kilowatt-hours of solar power on October 23, demonstrates how a local not-for-profit organization, Marin Clean Energy, can work collaboratively with local businesses to promote green energy, green jobs and the local economy.
MCE is the first and currently only operating Community Choice Aggregation program in California, accelerating the creation of local renewable energy projects with its standard offer contract Feed-In Tariff. MCE has paved the way for other California cities and counties to follow suit.
"This is a landmark project for Marin Clean Energy," said Marin Energy Authority Chairman and San Rafael Council Member Damon Connolly. "The San Rafael Airport solar installation is the first local project to provide renewable power to Marin Clean Energy customers. This is a strong example of local business and local government working together to strengthen our local economy, generating good jobs and affordable, reliable, renewable power."
Synapse Electric hired 20 workers specifically for this project through the Marin City Community Development Corporation and CLP Resources, Inc., a trades staffing company. Synapse also hired three new locally-based, full-time employees. San Rafael-based company REP Energy designed the installation, and the REC Group manufactured 85 percent of the solar panels, made with American content. Power-One supplied all of the inverters, which are American-made.
