The North County Transit District (NCTD) transportation network contracted Martifer Solar USA for a combined 482.52kW of ground and roof-mounted solar arrays on the Sprinter rail line and Breeze bus line maintenance facilities.
The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funded the solar projects. NCTD recently received $2 million from ARRA Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) program in support of its Sustainability Plan.
Martifer Solar is working within NCTD’s Sustainability Plan to assist the agency’s green initiatives to yield community, economic and environmental benefits. NCTD is looking forward to taking these next steps towards renewable energy capabilities across a variety of locations throughout the Sprinter and Breeze service areas, said Angela Miller, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer for NCTD.
“North County Transit District is to be commended for their increasing use of solar power to not only bring down energy costs, but also as part of a broader initiative to become a more environmentally friendly public agency”, said Irene Stillings, Executive Director of the California Center for Sustainable Energy. Projects such as this demonstrate how solar can yield both economic and environmental benefits for the community.
The ground and roof-mounted arrays are anticipated to save the North County Transit District an estimated $86,000 dollars per year and will offset the emissions of approximately 1,141,488 pounds of CO2 annually. The solar systems at NCTD will supply enough clean, renewable energy to offset the electricity usage of approximately 104 average California homes per year
“Martifer is proud to be working with the North County Transit District to further their green initiatives and commitment to San Diego citizens,” said CEO of Martifer Solar USA Raffi Agopian. “Our company is rooted in Southern California and we want to preserve and sustain our state and natural resources.”
Martifer Solar USA has implemented multiple solar systems for public transit operations including the Antelope Valley Transit Authority in Lancaster, CA and the Big Blue Bus maintenance facility in Santa Monica, CA.