As part of this makeover, BART is planning to install 912 photovoltaic solar energy panels on the Richmond maintenance shop roof. The system is estimated to avoid more than 4.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over 20 years.
It will also replace the shop’s outdated lamps with high-efficiency fluorescent lighting, which is expected to reduce energy use by one third and save $107,000 in energy costs annually.
The solar installation in Richmond is the first of three sustainable energy projects that will be installed by Maryland’s SunEdison.
Under a solar power services agreement with SunEdison, the company will also install a solar energy system on the roof of the Hayward maintenance shop and a solar panel canopy in a portion of the Orinda Station’s parking lot, BART board member Gail Murray said.
This solar initiative is another example of BART diversifying its power supply from cost-effective, environmentally-sound sources.
