Fresno State’s solar project lauded in ecology study

California State University, Fresno was recently highlighted as one of the top colleges for implementing energy saving measures.

The National Wildlife Federation included Fresno State’s solar panel-topped parking structure system – built by Chevron Energy Solutions – in a campus ecology report. The report highlights the business, educational and ethical arguments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions on campuses; it also features best-practice examples from U.S. schools.

Titled “Higher Education in a Warming World: The Business Case for Climate Leadership on Campus,” the report includes examples from more than 100 campuses from 32 states.

The Federation ranks Fresno State as one of the top campuses for leading the way to a sustainable future by finding solutions to global warming.

Fresno State’s solar project includes photovoltaic panels installed atop 10 metal shelters that shade more than 700 parking spaces from the San Joaquin Valley sun. The panels convert the sun’s energy into 1 megawatt of electricity. That’s about 20 percent of the university’s base demand.