Fifteen of California's 23 state university campuses will power up using solar energy. The state's Department of General Services partnered with the university system and a regional solar power supplier to kickstart the system that will partially power 15 colleges.

SunEdison will build and operate solar facilities on the campuses selected to be part of the program. Using 8 megawatts of power generated from solar panels, SunEdison expects to provide 12 million kilowatt hours at below retail rates during the first year of operation alone.

Solar panels on rooftops, parking structures and ground locations are expected to replace 5 percent of CSU's traditional energy consumption.

“California is going green and we are doing it first and we are doing it fast," said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger during Tuesday's announcment of the deal. "We are seeing more tangible results and more followthrough in reducing our state’s carbon footprint. This partnership is a good deal for the state, the planet and our economy -- all at no cost to taxpayers.”

What could be better?

The CSU campuses that will participate in the pilot program are Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Chico, Fullerton, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, Pomona, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Bernardino Palm Desert, San Francisco, San Marcos, and Stanislaus. The CA Maritime Academy and the CSU chancellor's office in Long Beach will also install the systems.