University Of San Diego Powered By Solar Energy

The University of San Diego is vying for the title of America’s greenest college.

With the flip of a switch Tuesday, 5,000 solar panels began powering a significant part of the Linda Vista campus. The solar-powered system provides about 15 percent of the school’s energy needs. This means USD ranks 10th among the nation’s solar-powered universities.

USD vice president of Business Services and Administration Len Hering called the move a huge leap toward the school’s green goals.

“It marks just the beginning of where this campus will be in the year 2025 as the most sustainable campus in America," said Hering. "That’s the goal.”

The new panels generate about 1.23 megawatts of renewable energy, or enough energy to power about 1,200 homes.

USD partnered with local energy company AMSOLAR to complete the project. At a ceremony Tuesday, AMSOLAR representative Joshua Weinstein presented USD with a $100,000 check for a student project working to bring solar energy to Sudan.

USD is not the only school in town greening up. San Diego State University announced its own, smaller, solar energy installation last week.