Solar parking panels coming soon to Naranja Park will be doing double duty – providing shade for park-goers while generating enough energy to power about 50 local homes.
The partnership between the Town of Oro Valley and Tucson Electric Power helps TEP increase its use of renewable energy resources while improving park-goers experience by shading roughly half of the park’s 180 parking spaces.
“By the end of 2021, TEP anticipates nearly a third of the energy we provide in the region will come from renewable resources,” said Camila Martins-Bekat, External Affairs Representative at TEP. “While large-scale projects are generally the most cost-effective, we see value in supporting community projects that will increase the amount of renewable energy on the grid while providing an amenity to residents across our community.”
The project is being designed, built and maintained by TEP at no cost to the town, using solar panels left over from an earlier project, and should be operational in August. New LED lighting under the structures will also brighten up the spaces to improve function and security, while saving energy resources.
“This project is an outstanding example of public-private partnership,” said Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield. “Our Town Council had previously recognized the need for shade at Naranja Park. TEP’s solution, which comes at no cost to the town, meets that need. It also aligns with our commitment to sustainability and to improving quality of life for Oro Valley residents. It’s a win-win.”
This project will contribute to TEP’s ongoing expansion of renewable energy resources. Over the next year, TEP is bringing online a local solar plus storage system and two New Mexico wind farms that together will produce enough clean power to serve 144,000 homes. By the year 2035, we expect to provide 70 percent of our power from wind and solar resources while reducing carbon emissions 80 percent.
TEP also offers programs that allow residential customers to buy some or all of their power from our local solar arrays. For more details, visit GoSolar with TEP.
