SSU turns sunlight into energy stability, campus resilience
University and TotalEnergies celebrate completion of solar and battery installation projected to save millions in power costs
Sonoma State University’s recently completed solar array project – capable of producing up to 4.1 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity – is stabilizing the university’s energy spending and promises enhanced resilience during planned and unplanned power outages.
In 2021, SSU entered into a contract with TotalEnergies, a French integrated energy company with global expertise in solar development and long-term energy partnerships. The resulting 30-year contract effectively locks in half of the campus’s consumed electricity – at a rate lower than local utility prices – over the course of the next 30 years, allowing the university to stabilize its energy costs and shield itself from utility price volatility now and into the future.
The project is expected to save the campus almost $1 million in energy costs during calendar 2026, its first year of operation, and could result in net energy cost savings of tens of millions of dollars over the 30-year contract.
“Sonoma State University’s investment in solar infrastructure is a meaningful example of how CSU campuses are advancing the system’s broader goal of carbon neutrality by 2045,” said Lindsey Rowell, chief of energy, sustainability and transportation in the California State University Office of the Chancellor. “TotalEnergies has been a significant partner in this work, supporting more than 30% of the CSU’s solar projects across our 22 campuses.”
“For many years, TotalEnergies has had the privilege of partnering with the CSU system to advance sustainable energy across California, with more than 20 MW of completed solar and battery storage projects – and more on the way,” said Eric Potts, managing director of TotalEnergies Distributed Generation USA. “Together with SSU, we are building more than just modern energy infrastructure, we’re inspiring a cleaner, more resilient future for the next generation of climate leaders.”
Peak energy demand on the SSU campus typically tops out at 3 MW during high demand periods, for example on a hot summer or early autumn day. The system also includes a 1.55 MW battery bank located in Parking Lot F; this storage component allows the university to store excess solar energy and discharge it when/as needed.
The Sonoma State solar installation is among the North Bay’s more substantial institutional solar projects. While larger utility-scale projects exist in the region – the 11.6 MW solar plus 32 MWh storage project contracted by Sonoma Clean Power and renewable energy developer Luminia in southern Sonoma County, for example – SSU’s installation is notable for its campus setting, its integration with battery storage, and its contribution to both university operational resilience and hands-on student learning.
“Projects of this scale are complex and often take years to move from concept to completion,” said Dana Twedell, SSU’s associate vice president for facilities operations and planning. “Throughout that time, TotalEnergies was a collaborative and responsive partner, working closely with us to navigate challenges and bring the project across the finish line.
“Energy cost stability and campus resilience were key reasons for pursuing this project, but its impact extends well beyond operations,” Twedell added. “The solar array will also create hands-on learning opportunities for Sonoma State students preparing to become the next generation of leaders in the clean energy and environmental sectors.”
Even before the arrays were installed, Twedell’s team collaborated with SSU faculty members and students in the engineering and sciences departments to develop an energy dashboard to analyze campus demand and overall efficiency. The solar arrays offer new avenues for students to work with real-time clean energy data, and the possibility of identifying efficiency insights to benefit the campus.
The arrays — designed as canopies that cover approximately 255,000 square feet of Sonoma State’s parking lots – generate substantial clean energy while providing the added benefit of shaded parking from campus commuters.
Together, the current SSU solar array and battery system are projected to avoid 106,800 metric tons of CO₂ emissions over the 30-year duration of the project. The solar installation accounts for about 94,800 metric tons over 30 years, while the battery system contributes an additional 12,000 metric tons by shifting clean solar energy into high-carbon peak hours.