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CCEnergy solar installation at Food Bank
among first for performance-based rebate

For immediate release
December 30, 2005

CONCORD, Calif. -The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is generating its own clean, renewable solar energy to power operations, save money, and feed greater numbers of hungry, needy people in the East Bay. The Food Bank's 56-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system began generating electricity on the roof of its Concord facility in December representing two important firsts: FBCCS is the first Food Bank in the state of California that is part of the national America's Second Harvest food bank network to adopt solar energy. This is also one of the first solar installations for the California Energy Commission's pilot Performance Based Incentive rebate program.

The Food Bank distributes about 7.5 million pounds of food annually to more than 200-member agencies that serve 84,000 people each month. The electricity needed to operate its 31,000-square-foot warehouse costs more than $4,000 per month and continues to rise. The nonprofit turned to self-generated solar energy as a means of cutting expenses.

"Our decision to install solar panels was done because it was a good business decision and a good environmental decision," says FBCCS Executive Director Larry Sly. "Because we have commercial refrigeration and freezers, we consume huge amounts of electricity. By installing solar panels, we are reducing our operating costs and helping improve the environment. Long term, the amount we save in energy costs will only increase."

Interested in more details? Read our case study of the Food Bank's solar installation »

Cooperative Community Energy, a California member-owned solar cooperative corporation, provided the equipment and managed the overall project. CCEnergy anticipates the solar photovoltaic system will generate about 100,000 kilowatt-hours per year, offsetting about $25,000 of the Food Bank's annual electricity costs. The solar system's design will accommodate additional capacity as other sources of funding become available, consistent with the Food Bank's goal of further reducing operating expenses.

The $450,000 solar system was paid for with Community Development Block Grants from the cities of Concord, Walnut Creek, and Pittsburg and Contra Costa County combined with local private funding from the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation and Conco Companies.

The Food Bank will recoup part of the system's initial cost by participating in the CEC Performance Based Incentive (PBI) program. Under this program, the state rebates money back to participants based upon the how much power their solar systems actually produce, rather than the system's cost. The program requires participants to install third-party monitoring equipment to measure performance. The CEC initiated the PBI program this year on a pilot basis to encourage greater efficiency in renewable energy systems.

TeamSolar, Inc. of Sacramento installed the Food Bank system, comprised of 360 Kyocera KC190 solar modules mounted on mounted on a Sunlink racking system (provided by Eastwood Energy of Larkspur). The solar panels feed power into 10 SMA America Inc. SB6000 inverters with an SMA SunnyBoy Control unit to manage the system's individual components. A web-based monitoring device made by Fat Spaniel Technologies measures actual electrical production, satisfying the PBI requirement for third party monitoring.

"It has been a pleasure working with the various suppliers, engineers, Food Bank staff and Board of Directors on bringing this project to completion and on budget," says CCEnergy project manager Dick Hansen. "This is a first rate system that will provide decades of electricity for the Food Bank, so that they can spend more of their cash feeding hungry people."

About Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is celebrating 30 years of service to the community and currently provides food to 84,000 hungry people in Contra Costa and Solano every month. Children, homeless families, low-income seniors, and others receive free meals and food baskets through a network of 275 charitable agencies supported by the Food Bank. To find out how you can assist the Food Bank in their work call (800) 870-FOOD or visit foodbankccs.org.

About Cooperative Community Energy
CCEnergy is a California solar energy cooperative headquartered in San Rafael and with branch offices throughout California. CCEnergy aggregates buying power to residential, commercial, and municipal members who want to generate clean safe energy at reasonable prices. As a cooperative, CCEnergy is working to foster growth and benefit to all segments of the solar market. For member buyers, CCEnergy makes the purchase of renewable energy easy, affordable, and rewarding. For member contractors, CCEnergy delivers the benefits of project management services, enabling them to concentrate on their core expertise of installation services.

CCEnergy also offers professional consulting services for schools, architectural firms, affordable housing companies, and businesses. CCEnergy's range of services includes energy efficiency programs to all aspects of solar services: feasibility studies, design work, bid review, and project management, and more. For more information about CCEnergy or membership details, call 1-877-228-8700 or 415-457-0215 or write to info[at]ccenergy.com.

Contact: Lori Houston
1-877-228-8700 or
415-457-0215