DRAFT 3
Media Contacts:
Gabriel Romero
gromero@csu.org
719-668-3836
Ingrid Ekstrom
iekstrom@sunpowercorp.com
510-260-8368
SunPower and Colorado Springs Utilities Agree to Build 6-Megawatt
Air Force Academy Solar Power Plant
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. and SAN JOSE, Calif., November 1, 2010 – Colorado Springs Utilities
(Springs Utilities) and SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) today announced an agreement to
design and build a 6-megawatt solar photovoltaic power system at the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA)
in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Construction will begin this month on the 30-acre site, and the plant is expected to be operational by
summer 2011.
The project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), as a result of
government mandates for federal facilities to use increasing amounts of renewable energy. Springs
Utilities has contracted with SunPower to design, build, own, operate and maintain the plant. SunPower
will sell the power generated at the plant to Springs Utilities for delivery to USAFA via a 25-year power
purchase agreement.
“This solar power system will create local jobs, reduce the demand for fossil fuels, and improve air quality
in our community,” said Springs Utilities CEO Jerry Forte. “We are confident that, with SunPower as our
experienced solar provider, the Air Force Academy solar plant will be built to high quality standards and
will meet forecasted output over the 25-year life of the system.”
The system will use high-efficiency SunPower solar panels with the SunPower Tracker® system. The
Tracker follows the sun’s movement during the day, increasing sunlight capture by up to 25 percent over
conventional fixed-tilt systems, while significantly reducing land use requirements. The system will be
designed to meet USAFA’s stringent engineering design standards.
“The 30-acre, 6-megawatt system at this site, where Air Force cadets and officers alike engage in
thousands of training flights each year, will be a testament to the fact that solar power provides a secure,
independent power source in the U.S.,” said Jim Pape, president of SunPower’s residential and
commercial business group. “Reliability and quality are the hallmarks of SunPower systems. We look
forward to working with the Springs Utilities and the Air Force Academy on this very exciting project.”
According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates, the system at the Air Force Academy will
avoid more than 9,400 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, the equivalent of removing 40,900
cars from Colorado’s highways over 25 years.
SunPower has worked with federal agencies since 1999, and has more than 50 megawatts of solar power
systems installed or under contract at government facilities, including systems at Nellis Air Force Base
and the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the U.S. Department of Energy.
The Air Force Academy will host a ground-breaking event this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. MST to announce
construction of the solar installation. Along with Colorado Springs Utilities and SunPower, USAFA will
share a brief overview of the solar power plant features and explain what the array means to the
community, the Academy and Springs Utilities.
About Colorado Springs Utilities
For more than 80 years, Colorado Springs Utilities has provided electricity, natural gas, water and
wastewater services to its customers in the Pikes Peak region. Colorado Springs Utilities serves more
than 200,000 electric, 180,000 natural gas, and 130,000 water and wastewater customers. As a
community-owned utility, its focus is on the basics – providing exceptional customer service while keeping
costs low.
About SunPower
Founded in 1985, SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the
planet's most powerful solar technology broadly available today. Residential, business, government and
utility customers rely on the company's experience and proven results to maximize return on investment.
With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia, and
Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.