A newly installed 637-kilowatt solar power system will supply the Port of West Sacramento with 100 percent of its electricity needs. It will cut the port's energy costs by more than $20,000 annually and eliminate more than 34 million pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions over 25 years.
The system consists of 3,536 solar panels covering 90,000 square feet on the rooftops of two rice warehouse buildings. With the 25-year power purchase agreement, it was installed at no cost to the port by Pacific Power Management (PPM).
The port is also implementing a "marine highway" container barge system in cooperation with the ports of Oakland and Stockton, which will help cut harmful air emissions, while easing congestion on Bay Area and Northern California highways. The project is funded by a $30-million federal stimulus grant.
With the port installation, PPM claims to be the largest supplier of solar power in Yolo County. It also has installed systems at the California Fuel Cell Partnership in West Sacramento, University Honda in Davis, Mid-Pacific Industries in Woodland, and several Nella Oil Company gas stations.
