Newark Unified School District

Newark Unified School District (NUSD) is the primary public school district for Newark, Calif. with 7 elementary schools, Newark Junior High School, Newark Memorial High School, and Bridgepoint High School. As a key component of the District’s vision, NUSD aims to be a model of world-class education by developing a coherent curriculum in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) disciplines which includes a focus on energy, the environment, and sustainability. The District sought to pursue solar energy to showcase real-world STEAM projects to its students and save on energy costs while also contributing to the State of California’s sustainability and resiliency goals.

The District partnered with ForeFront Power to install a 1.4 MW solar energy and storage portfolio made up of 2 solar canopy arrays and a storage system at Newark Memorial High School and Newark Junior High School. The District’s solar energy portfolio will generate 1,737,639 kWh of clean, renewable electricity, avoiding 1,231 tons of CO2 emissions annually, which is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 1,509 acres of forest each year or electrifying 224 nearby homes.

ForeFront Power ensured the District’s smart battery storage assets complement the solar energy portfolio by kicking in during moments of maximum electricity usage to minimize the impact of peak charges from the utility. This leads to electricity costs that are lower than with a solar project alone. To grant NUSD the ability to analyze system performance, ForeFront Power provided the District with access to a real-time performance monitoring platform, allowing it to create reports and visualize its environmental offsets and savings. ForeFront Power also offered customizable renewable energy curriculum to support NUSD’s STEAM education for its students.

The District selected ForeFront Power to develop, finance, and construct the solar portfolio through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Through the 20-year term of the power purchase agreement, the District is expected to save nearly $6 million with an estimated $120K in the first year alone. In addition to these substantial savings, Newark Unified School District is now demonstrating its commitment to clean energy to its students and community.


CustomerNewark Unified School DistrictSegmentPublic SectorTypeCanopy + StorageCapacity1.4 MWYear2022LocationNewark, CA


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