en.Wedoany.com Reported - TotalEnergies announced the completion of a 4.1 MW solar and 1.55 MWh battery energy storage project at Sonoma State University (SSU). The project is one of the largest solar-plus-battery storage systems in Sonoma County, California, and supports the California State University (CSU) system's 2045 net-zero carbon emissions goal as well as Sonoma State University's campus sustainability strategy. TotalEnergies has partnered with the CSU system for a decade, working together to modernize energy infrastructure across the system.
Lindsey Rowell, Director of Energy, Sustainability, and Transportation at the California State University Chancellor's Office, stated that SSU's investment in solar infrastructure is a representative example of CSU campuses advancing the system's 2045 carbon neutrality goal. TotalEnergies has played a key partnership role in this effort, supporting more than 30% of solar projects across the CSU system's 22 campuses.
Eric Potts, Managing Director of TotalEnergies' U.S. Distributed Generation business, noted that the company's multi-year partnership with the CSU system has resulted in more than 20 MW of solar and battery storage projects completed in California, with more in the pipeline. He said the facility built with SSU represents both modern energy infrastructure and a cleaner, more resilient energy future for the next generation of climate advocates.
The project takes the form of solar carports covering five campus parking lots, expected to generate more than 79 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity in its first year of operation while providing shade for vehicles. The battery storage system discharges excess power when grid demand and utility costs peak, a strategy projected to save the university more than $5 million in utility expenses over the first five years. The system is microgrid-ready, capable of islanding from the grid during Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events common in California, ensuring continued power to critical campus facilities.
Beyond power generation and storage, the project also serves as a hands-on teaching tool. Sonoma State University faculty and students are using the new facility as a living laboratory, analyzing real-time clean energy data to gain a more direct understanding of how today's energy systems operate and evolve.
Dana Twedell, Associate Vice President for Facilities Operations and Planning at SSU, said projects of this scale are highly complex and typically take years from concept to completion. TotalEnergies demonstrated a collaborative spirit and rapid responsiveness throughout the partnership, working with the university to overcome challenges and bring the project to successful completion.
The project is structured under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), with TotalEnergies providing full financing, design, and construction at no upfront cost to SSU. Under the agreement, the university purchases clean electricity at rates below local utility prices, while TotalEnergies handles ongoing operations, performance guarantees, and maintenance. By eliminating capital expenditures, SSU can direct funds toward critical campus infrastructure and core academic needs; utility cost savings are channeled into a green revolving fund supporting student development, scientific research, and academic excellence.
Sonoma State University is the latest addition to TotalEnergies' higher education project portfolio, which encompasses hundreds of solar and storage facilities across university campuses, community colleges, and K-12 school districts nationwide.
