Sacramento, CA – The City of Sacramento in partnership with SolarCity has broken ground on a solar project that is expected to produce 2.8 million kilowatt-hours per year enough to power approximately 250 area homes. The total project size is 1.9 megawatts.

The project, approved by City Council in March 2011, includes the installation of over 8,000 solar panels at the City South Area Corporation Yard, Meadowview Service Center, City Hall, and 300 Richards Blvd. “Today’s announcement is a win-win for Sacramento. There is no upfront cost to the City and it will create nearly 250 local jobs,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson. “It’s projects like this one that will position us as a leader in the green movement.”

The four projects include the installation of panels on solar support structures and on roof space. In addition, it will provide city employees and customers shade for parking and reduce heat island effect. It is expected that all installations will be complete by spring 2012.

SolarCity will install, own, and maintain the panels for the City.As part of the agreement, the City of Sacramento will pay for the power produced through a power purchase agreement at a rate that is anticipated to be lower than what they pay for grid electricity.This model makes it cost effective for the City to support the generation of renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create local jobs.