The Coyote Valley Casino & Hotel in California’s Redwood Valley is home to the Golden State’s newest solar carport installation, with a 2.23 MW system reaching completion on June 29.

The new system features 1,500 JA Solar modules and 10 inverters from Chint Power Systems, representatives say, and will generate just short of 3.5 GWh per year. The casino says the new energy generation will save more than $450,000 in the first year alone for the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians ownership group.

All told, the project includes a 1.41 MW solar carport installation across the casino’s parking lots, keeping Californian cars out of the sun. Additionally, the Coyote Valley Hotel is now equipped with a second 817.5 kW system, which supplies power to the nearby Tribal Council offices.

“This solar project represents an important step toward a more sustainable future for our Tribe and our community,” says Rachel Whetstone, CFO of the Coyote Valley Tribal Council. “By investing in renewable energy, we are reducing operating costs, protecting the environment, and demonstrating leadership in responsible development.”

Excess power will also go to nearby businesses like a convenience store and a wastewater treatment plant, the company says.

Creating value in the Valley

This solar carport project is one of many in California at large, as the state leads the U.S. in current carport installations. In its infancy, the project was contracted out to EPC firm SunRenu Solar, which has become a known carport provider on the West Coast since its founding in 2008.

John McDonell, principal of SunRenu Solar, says the project was co-developed with Tribal leadership, as well as the Department of Energy and Arizona-based Watthub Renewables.

“This unique project offers more than 45% annual savings, with no upfront cost and no maintenance responsibility for the Tribe,” he says. “It is a win-win-win-win for all involved.”

Part of the project’s existing power purchase agreement (PPA) deal states that the site will be managed and operated by Baltimore’s Sunrock Distributed Generation over the course of the next 30 years. Sunrock will sell all of the energy generated to the customer at a discounted rate when compared to the normal cost of energy from the Californian grid, and the casino expects to nearly cut its energy bill “significantly,” officials say.

“This project demonstrates how Sunrock can help turn energy costs into long-term economic value for local communities,” says Wilson Chang, CEO of Sunrock Distributed Generation. “The Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians is using solar to reduce utility exposure, strengthen operating resilience, and save more than $450,000 in the first year alone.”

Tags: California, carport, commercial and industrial, project