Green Energy
Our modern lifestyle has increased electrical demand, resulting in an increased share of total consumption going to baseline plug loads. The College Heights energy system is designed to meet and exceed this increasing demand.
Energy efficiency results from a combination of passive energy built into the home and active energy to provide electricity. The project’s proposed energy system is more efficient, and is projected to consume 30% less energy when compared to traditional style development’s systems.
The system, as designed, combines many concepts into a seamless system for cost-effectiveness and “True Net Zero”—meaning the community draws zero net electricity from the utility grid over the course of the year. High summer solar generation feeds clean energy into the PGE grid, completely offsetting the increased electrical demand in winter taken from the grid.
Costs of Green Energy
The initial installation costs of green energy are higher than for conventional systems, but the operating costs are lower, with significant life cycle savings, as well as great benefits for the environment. The advanced, complex, high tech system overall costs between 55% to 60% less than conventional systems.
| Project design | 200A Per Unit; ~4.0 MW Total Site Load |
| PG&E Engineering & Offsite Fees | High cost for express feeders or mitigation |
| On-Site Equipment (Rule 15) | Large 750–1000 kVA padmounts and switchgear footprints |
| Developer Civil Costs | Large conduit, vaults, and meter pad clearances |
| PG&E Rule Invoices | $1.5M – $3.5M for reconductoring or express feeders |
For 732 units the total site peak load could be 3.0 MW to 4.3 MW. A demand of 3.0 to 4.3 MW frequently triggers off-site reinforcement. The per-unit design requirement could be 50A, not 200A, because of added efficiencies from the combination of the Central Battery Vault and the solar panels. No on-site substation would be required.
Combined Components Pricing
Combining 1.6 MW of solar panel with a 7.5 MW hours Central Battery Vault equals 5 Watt-hours of storage for every 1 watt of solar
- Solar Component: $1.35 – $1.65 per watt
- Central Battery Vault (5 Watt hours per W): $0.90 – $1.50 per watt
- Combined Cost:$2.25 to $3.15 per Watt