AT&T announced a partnership with SunPower Corporation, CH2M HILL, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Morgan Stanley to create a solar power system for the company's San Ramon campus. The California installation will be used to cover up to 25 percent of the campus' peak power needs and 5.5 percent of its annual electricity needs.

The San Ramon solar installation will be approximately one megawatt. It is funded in part by incentives that PG&E offers as a part of the California Solar Initiative (CSI), making the system ideal for AT&T's purposes. Not only is AT&T able to cut its energy costs with the new solar installation, the company even got a deal on the installation costs.

"Installing this solar power system on our roof reflects AT&T's commitment to balance the business need for affordable energy with the need to identify solutions that have less impact on the environment in the communities we serve," said Shawn McKenzie, AT&T's senior vice president of corporate real estate. "This effort will help us learn more about the benefits of renewable energy for our business and allow us to make educated decisions as we pursue future uses of alternative forms of energy."

SunPower is handling project construction for AT&T and will install its T10 Solar Roof Tile commercial system. It is a non-penetrating system that increases energy capture by tilting tiles at a 10-degree angle to boost energy capture. However, AT&T has not established a traditional power purchase agreement with SunPower. Instead, AT&T will buy power for its facility from an entity owned, in part, by Morgan Stanley. The rates for this electricity will be competitively priced against retail rates. CH2M HILL provided the initial scope and research into the San Ramon project and will continue to guide the project through development and implementation.

AT&T's project demonstrates the role that state and federal governments can take in encouraging companies to switch to alternative energy. The incentives provided by the CSI for the San Ramon project, as well as the Federal Investment Tax Credit, made AT&T's project financially feasible. 

Image — AT&T