The Port of San Diego is installing solar panels on the roof of its primary cruise ship terminal, which is expected to offset approximately 70 percent of the building’s energy consumption, according to a press release.
The project to install a 167-kilowatt photovoltaic system at the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal is part of the Port’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. This Port Environmental Fund project is expected to generate enough energy to power 20 homes, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 187 metric tons annually.
The Board of Port Commissioners passed a resolution on January 12, 2016 awarding the $341,000 contract to Sullivan Solar Power of California. Installation began in May 2016 and the system is expected to be operational by the end of June 2016.
“The Port of San Diego demonstrates its commitment to smart technology and clean power with this installation of a photovoltaic system at our main cruise ship terminal in addition to three other Port facilities,” said Chairman Marshall Merrifield of the Board of Port Commissioners. “This Port Environmental Fund improvement project is being completed just as we celebrate growth in our cruise business with an increase in calls of about 50 percent projected from this season to next.”
Consisting of 630 solar panels, the project will also include an interconnection agreement for net metering with San Diego Gas & Electric. Net metering is a billing mechanism that credits solar energy system owners for the electricity that is added to the grid from systems that produce more than what is used by the facility.
