Constellation has announced the development of an aggregate 4.35-megawatt (DC) solar generation project for the Casa Grande Union High School District in Casa Grande, Ariz. Constellation will finance as well as own and operate the solar power systems. In return, the school district will purchase and receive all of the electricity generated by the solar panels at a fixedrate from Constellation under a 20-year solar services agreement.

"The new solar power systems will help the district to maintain stable electricity costs and serve as an educational resource for our students to learn about renewable energy," said Shannon Goodsell, superintendent of Casa Grande Union High School District.

The solar power systems will be located at four sites: Vista Grande High School, Casa Grande High School, the Casa Verde High School campus and the school district's transportation center. Collectively the solar panels will generate an estimated 75 percent of the school district'selectricity needs. The systems are scheduled for completion by December 2012.

"Hosting on-site solar generation is an attractive option for customers to achieve environmental goals and control energy costs without significant upfront capital investment," said Michael D. Smith, vice president of solar and energy efficiency sales for Constellation. "Constellation congratulates Casa Grande Union High School District for its commitment to renewable energy and is proud to bring another solar project online for Arizona schools."

In January 2012, Constellation announced the completion of a 4.29-megawatt solar generation project for Buckeye Union High School District.

Constellation's Casa Grande solar project was initially developed by Kennedy Partners and REgeneration Finance and will be built by CORE Construction. The project is also facilitated, in part, by the Arizona Corporation Commission-approved APS Renewable Energy Incentive Program.

The program offers financial incentives, covering up to 40 percent of the installation costs, to customers who add renewable energy systems to their homes or businesses.

The solar power systems are comprised of approximately 18,232 photovoltaic panels, located on 43 carport structures.

The project is expected to generate approximately 7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. Generating the same amount of electricity using nonrenewable sources would result in the release of 3,848 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent emissions from 754 passenger vehicles annually, according to U.S. EPA data for the Arizona region.