Supporting higher education in the field of technology, solar and sustainable design
Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) and SunEdison today announced the creation of an endowment scholarship fund for Yavapai College students pursuing a degree in Residential Building Technology and courses associated with solar photovoltaic technologies and green/sustainable design.
The endowment was made possible by APS and SunEdison, in part through the deployment of a 10-megawatt (MW) solar farm in Prescott, Ariz., located two miles north of the Prescott Regional Airport.
“As part of our power purchase agreement with SunEdison for the solar facility, SunEdison allocated $40,000 to help support college students interested in studying technology and sustainable design,” said Brad Albert, APS General Manager of Resource Acquisitions. “We agreed Yavapai College – a community college based in Prescott – was the right institution to receive the endowment. It further demonstrates our support for the area in which this solar facility will rest, producing clean, reliable energy for APS customers.”
The 10-MW solar project associated with the endowment scholarship came on line in November 2011 and is expected to produce more than 26 million kilowatt-hours of clean solar energy in the first year of production alone – enough energy to power more than 2,400 homes. SunEdison was responsible for the financing and deployment of the project and will oversee the operation and maintenance.
“SunEdison is proud to be working with APS in addressing their solar energy needs while giving back to the community at the same time,” stated Sean Kiernan, VP of U.S. Utility Scale Solar for SunEdison. “Together we’re offering smart, affordable energy solutions, while helping prepare the next generation of skilled workers in green building technology and PV implementation – jobs that will continue to increase in demand and help fuel our new energy economy.”
The endowment payout is expected to fund three to four Yavapai scholarships a year on a perpetual basis. To learn more about the APS/SunEdison scholarship, including eligibility requirements and to submit an application, visit Yavapai College online at www.yc.edu.
APS, Arizona’s largest and longest-serving electricity utility, serves more than 1.1 million customers in 11 of the state’s 15 counties. With headquarters in Phoenix, APS is the principal subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corp. (NYSE: PNW).
SunEdison is a global leader in delivering solar power. The company develops, finances, installs and operates distributed power plants using proven photovoltaic technologies, delivering fully managed, predictably priced solar energy services for its commercial, government and utility customers. In 2011 SunEdison interconnected approximately 300 megawatts of solar throughout the world. For more information about SunEdison please visit www.sunedison.com.
Source: APS
For more information on: APS