University of California signs major solar deal

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The University of California says it has made one of the largest ever solar-energy purchases by a university system in the United States.

The UC system, one of the largest public university systems in the nation, says the deal will provide enough solar power to offset 60 percent of the electricity use at five of the state’s 10 campuses, as well as some university medical centers.

UC electricity manager Mark Byron said Monday that a 25-year deal with San Mateo-based Frontier Renewables will provide 80 megawatts in solar power, or 200,000 megawatt-hours annually.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

The schools say they have a projected goal of becoming carbon-neutral across the system by 2025. That means reducing its net emission of climate-changing carbon to zero.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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