Nov. 1—If 3.4 million kilowatt-hours per year of renewable power weren't enough, Bakersfield leaders came up with a list of reasons to celebrate the completion Tuesday of a series of photovoltaic solar arrays installed across the city as part of an expanding municipal partnership.
Taxpayer savings, jobs, energy infrastructure and, yes, shade — all got shout-outs during an early afternoon ribbon-cutting ceremony at The Park at River Walk that marked the conclusion of the 2 megawatt-DC initial phase of the city's agreement with ForeFront Power, U.S. subsidiary of Japanese-based energy infrastructure and investment company Mitsui & Co. Ltd.
At the heart of the arrangement is the city's pledge to pay ForeFront a fixed rate of between 7.5 cents and 15.5 cents per kilowatt hour, depending on the facility, for 20 years. Net savings were estimated at $9 million over the term of the agreement.
For its part, ForeFront designed and built the arrays, at no upfront cost to the city, above four different parking lots around the city: at City Hall South, 1501 Truxtun Ave.; Bakersfield Police Department headquarters, 1601 Truxtun Ave.; the city's Corporation Yard, 4101 Truxtun Ave.; and The Park at River Walk. The company also installed solar panels at the Mesa Marin Sports Complex, 10315 Highway 178. The company is responsible for operating and maintaining the entire system.
Mayor Karen Goh told media representatives at the event that the arrays will eliminate emissions totaling 26,000 tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent of taking more than 500 gasoline-powered vehicles off the road.
"How many of you would like to save our city and taxpayers millions of dollars?" she asked the small crowd. "Let me see the hands go up."
Vice Mayor Ken Weir, representing Ward 3 on the Bakersfield City Council, welcomed the projected savings he said could be reinvested in addressing homelessness and other city priorities. He also expressed appreciation for the company's commitment to employ Kern County residents for at least 80 percent of the project's workforce.
ForeFront and the city were asked but did not say how many jobs were involved in construction of the arrays.
Other speakers at the event, primarily representatives of locally elected lawmakers, trumpeted other benefits such as shade for cars parked below the arrays, energy affordability, expansion of the local renewable energy portfolio, workforce investment and progress toward greater sustainability.
Bakersfield Public Works Director Gregg Strakaluse said the project's second phase may extend the solar network to four additional city-owned sites, including Mechanics Bank Arena and two waste-treatment facilities in town.