New Solar Canopies to Produce More Than Energy

Renewable energy will help power nearly half of all Long Beach Unified School District campuses in the next two years. Solar canopies planned at 16 schools are projected to offset the carbon dioxide equivalent of 4.5 million pounds of coal burned per year and help the District realize greater cost savings than existing LBUSD solar canopies.

The canopies will be installed on playgrounds, parking lots and fields, sheltering students from sunlight and rain while generating clean energy.  Solar canopies bound for the following LBUSD schools will generate an estimated 5.6 kilowatt-hours of combined power per year:

• Bixby Elementary School
• Browning High School
• Burcham Elementary School
• Garfield Elementary School
• Hudson Elementary School
• Keller Middle School
• Kettering Elementary School
• Lindsey Academy
• MacArthur Elementary School
• Mann Elementary School
• Muir Academy
• Prisk Elementary School
• Riley Elementary School
• Stephens Middle School
• Webster Elementary School

Solar canopies currently stationed at more than two dozen LBUSD campuses are owned and operated by a third party. The District purchases the electricity generated at a fixed, discounted rate.

By owning and managing the new solar canopies, LBUSD will save even more on utilities.

“The District’s solar canopies are expected to meet about 85% of each campus’ energy needs,” said David Miranda, the District’s executive director of Facilities Development and Planning. “They have the added benefit of further reducing LBUSD’s energy expenditures.”

Installation of LBUSD’s solar canopies will begin next summer. The $20 million project is funded by Measure Q.