Due to pressures to reduce costs and reduce emissions, many businesses are turning to renewable energy. While wind energy is not always the answer, solar power is most often easily added to current buildings and installations. In order to reduce their costs and emissions, the entire Port of West Sacramento has turned to solar power.
The Port of West Sacramento recently made an agreement with the Pacific Power Management company. The Pacific Power Management company agreed to install numerous solar panels in exchange for a twenty-five year purchase agreement for power. Due to this, the Port of West Sacramento will now be attaining 100 percent of their energy needs from solar power.
Pacific Power Management installed 3,536 solar panels on the rooftops of two separate warehouse buildings at the port. In total, 90,000 square feet have been covered in solar panels. The Port of West Sacramento is now home to a 637-kilowatt power system that will save $20,000 each year in energy costs. In addition, over the twenty-five year agreement period, the solar panels are expected to prevent 34 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
In addition to their solar power installation, the port is also working together with the ports of Oakland and Stockton to reduce further emissions. The ports expect to create a “marine highway” system for a barge system which is expected to reduce emissions and congestion. The government has assisted in this plan with a $30 million federal stimulus grant.
