The move, CES said, should help Brea's government cut energy use by 40 percent. Over the solar arrays' lifetime - typically 25 to 30 years - Brea will save more than $13 million, CES added.
"This project demonstrates how cities and other municipalities can learn from Brea how to reduce their energy costs and use clean, renewable power," CES president Jim Davis said.
Brea's mayor, Ron Garcia, noted that the solar installation could help save taxpayer dollars by cutting the town's energy consumption. Solar power, he said, would also "help Brea attain early compliance with goals of the Global Warming Solutions Act." The act to which he was referring was passed in 2006 and requires California's greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced to 1990 levels by 2020.
The savings that Brea is anticipating illustrate the benefits of adopting solar power. It's not just city governments that can benefit - homeowners can save thousands of dollars over the years by installing solar arrays and using less grid-sourced power.
