Preserve critical district operations during future emergencies and power outages
Santa Barbara Unified School District (USD), serving 15,000 students, faculty, and staff, partnered with Opterra to enhance energy resiliency and sustainability following the 2017-18 Thomas Fire. Located in Southern California, Santa Barbara USD schools were safe havens during the Thomas Fire. Recognizing the growing risk of natural disasters due to climate change, the district aimed for sustainable and resilient solutions.
After a competitive RFP process, Opterra was selected for its comprehensive solar PV and microgrid solution. The project includes 4.2 MW of solar PV across 14 district locations and 6 microgrids with 5.7 MWh of battery energy storage for resiliency and peak demand charge reduction.
The project entails design, installation, and maintenance which provides analysis and prioritization of critical loads. This program is a 28-year, no money down, Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with performance guarantees.
