Skyline Innovations enters solar market in California
Monday, May 21st 2012 5:35 PM
By GetSolar Staff.
California has seen significant growth in solar installations the past couple years and is continuing to lead the country toward a more energy efficient future. Skyline Innovations, one of the nation's fastest growing commercial solar heating companies, announced that a solar project it has been working on with WGL Holdings recently reached completion.
The project was a solar water heating system for three multifamily buildings in southern California. The installation was provided at no upfront cost to the state by Skyline, and Williams Holdings, which owns the buildings, will receive hot water at a 25 percent fixed discount to the standard utility rate for water heating.
The recent solar installation was the 31st project for multifamily housing in the Golden State that has been undertaken by Skyline.
"We are excited to expand availability of our offering to the West Coast," said Zach Axelrod, CEO of Skyline Innovations. "It serves as yet another proof point to the viability of providing customers a fixed, discounted utility rate for commercial-scale solar thermal."
Skyline Innovations' project with WGL Holdings reflects the growing interest in solar water heating, which can lead to cost savings. The companies have worked out a $30 million financing arrangement. In another piece of the funding picture, Williams Holdings' systems will be eligible for the California Solar Initiative's Thermal Program, which offers rebates of up to $500,000 on affordable multifamily housing spaces that install solar thermal units.
"Skyline Innovations' business model and technology platform make it a leader in the solar heating and cooling space," said Rick Moore, division head of strategy and business development at Washington Gas, a subsidiary of WGL Holdings, Inc. "Skyline's continued expansion aligns with our strategic position and vision of supporting clean and efficient energy solutions in high growth segments of the energy market."
Skyline Innovations uses solar collectors as opposed to traditional water heating systems, which use usually use electricity to heat water. Skyline will be able to provide a fixed discount off of its customers' current and future utility rates by using the sun's rays to heat water.
"This agreement makes sense for our residents, our buildings and the environment," said Kameron Segal, founder and CEO of Williams Holdings. "Skyline's strong business model gave us the confidence to green our properties, in turn reducing our operating expenses."
Other western states are also firmly committed to solar energy, and are pursuing similarly ambitious projects. Kyocera recently announced that it will supply Arizona with 34 megawatts of solar modules for utility-scale installations. The company has begun its shipments of the modules for a 127-megawatt, utility-scale photovoltaic installation in southwestern Arizona.
The solar modules were manufactured in the San Diego production facility and will become part of the Arlington Valley Solar Energy II project. The project is scheduled to begin operations in late 2013 on an estimated 1,160 acres near Arizona's Hassayampa Substation in Maricopa County.
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California has seen significant growth in solar installations the past couple years and is continuing to lead the country toward a more energy efficient future. Skyline Innovations, one of the nation's fastest growing 
