Feb 16 2010
Kyocera Solar, Inc. and AMSOLAR Corporation announced today a strategic partnership focused in serving universities, community colleges and public school districts in North America.
The agreement will focus on providing complete, turn-key solar energy solutions for educational institutions that includes strategic financing, system engineering and design, installation, operation and maintenance.
Kyocera and AMSOLAR are already working on constructing a 1.23 Megawatt system at the University of San Diego, making the eighth-largest solar power facility on a U.S. college campus. The school is paying nothing to have the 1.23 Megawatt system implemented on nine buildings, but instead has entered into a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement that will reduce their energy costs from Day One as well as an immediate return on their investment. Both organizations believe the synergy in their service approaches and long-term commitments to their customers will make the new partnership a viable one for other educational institutions.
"We feel AMSOLAR has the right model to truly advance solar within the education industry," said Steve Hill, President, Kyocera Solar, Inc. "As a pioneer in the solar industry, Kyocera welcomes AMSOLAR's Power Purchase Agreement structure enabling schools to install solar while not having to absorb the up-front costs in implementing such systems."
Kyocera is one of the world's largest vertically-integrated producers and suppliers of solar energy products. Its North American subsidiary, Kyocera Solar, is headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., with regional sales affiliates in the Americas and Australia, and serves thousands of customers in both the developed and developing worlds.
AMSOLAR Corporation manages all of the engineering, installation, operation and maintenance of the solar energy facilities it implements, while its partners enjoy the benefits of reliable and affordable solar power.
"This opportunity came about in part because of our collective work in kicking off one of the 10 largest American college solar power system projects on the University of San Diego campus at the end of 2009," said Jam Attari, Managing Partner of AMSOLAR Corporation. "In subsequent conversations, we discovered that our strategies were remarkably similar - seek long term, mutually beneficial partnerships for organizations that help reduce energy costs, lower environmental impact, and expand the benefits of solar well beyond the system itself. Our combined efforts will make this happen, and we're looking forward to doing great things together in this regard!"