Fresno Academy is blazing the trail for clean, renewable energy sources. On Jan. 10, the Sun Harvest Solar Project was officially dedicated. It has been fully operational since December. “Guaranteed electricity costs each year helps us plan for the future,” says Todd Bristol, school board chair.

Principal Dan Kittle first heard about a possible solar project from Nelson Tabingo, conference treasurer. “We are very pleased with the results of the conference office’s solar project and encouraged Dan to explore this,” Tabingo says.

Kittle discovered “an outstanding opportunity for Fresno Adventist Academy to make a long-term positive impact on the annual budget while making contributions to the health and well-being of this community.”

Simply put, the academy purchased a favorable long-term energy contract that gives greater financial control of the annual budget and produces clean air.

The academy’s second largest operational budget item, approximately $90,000, is for energy — a cost that continues to rise. Now, the academy has a power purchase agreement with a guaranteed three percent fixed annual increase for 25 years. “Now we can accurately budget, forecast and project energy costs for the next 25 years,” adds Kittle. “We’re paying less than the average PG&E cost, plus saving money.” The projected first year’s savings is $10,000.

The enXco Development Corporation financed the project as its long-term owner and operator. The academy buys the energy produced from the project for the next 25 years. The completed solar array covers 2.2 acres and provides 247 kilowatts through ground-mounted solar photovoltaic panels.

The project cost was $2 million with no out-of-pocket expenses. With after-tax credits to investors, rebates and rapid depreciation, the academy could purchase the asset in seven years for approximately $700,000 and have years of guaranteed energy production with no costs to the school.

David Phillips, project architect and school board vice chair, oversaw the construction and donated his fees (paid by enXco) to the academy’s worthy student fund.

The California Solar Initiative, announced by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, provides financial incentives and sets an ambitious goal for “one million solar roofs” by 2018.