California Center for Sustainable Energy

Solar PV offsets a quarter of casino’s energy consumption

With some 4,000 panels covering more than 5.5 acres, Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort in Valley Center became the first casino in Southern California to adopt solar electric power. They also installed energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, retrofitted 10,000 light fixtures with energy-efficient lamps and implemented a host of measures to reduce their electricity use and carbon footprint.

The solar system, installed by Suntech Power, will provide one megawatt of solar energy, enough to power 90 percent of the casino’s HVAC requirements or the equivalent of approximately one-quarter of their total annual power needs. It reduces grid consumption, curtailing enough energy to power about 2,200 homes.

According to Harrah’s Rincon officials, the system is the result of a partnership between the Rincon Band, the California Center for Sustainable Energy, TRANE and San Diego Gas & Electric.    Harrah’s Rincon will receive a performance-based rebate from the California Solar Initiative that is expected to total some $3 million paid monthly over the next five years. At ceremonies held March 18, Alan Ball, a member of CCSE’s board of directors, lauded the Rincon band for their accomplishments in solar power and their “significant contributions in helping to create a clean energy future.”

Bo Mazzetti, chairman of the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians, said, "This is an important step forward in energy efficiency. It is just the beginning of what we, as a tribe, look to accomplish as responsible members of our community, which is addressing the multiple energy and environmental issues that currently face all governments."

As part of this project, the casino’s HVAC system moved from packaged units to a chilled water unit with heat recovery capability, resulting in an estimated savings of 3.3 million kilowatt-hours per year. The recovered heat warms the water used in the casino’s 662 hotel rooms.

"We are excited to be the first casino in Southern California to use a solar plant to produce clean, renewable energy," said Janet Beronio, senior vice president and general manager at Harrah's Rincon. "Combined with our other green initiatives, Harrah's Rincon is becoming more environmentally sensitive in the operation of our business."

The casino began a “Code Green” environmental sustainability program in 2008, including strategies for recycling, water conservation, beach cleanup and transportation. The facility diverts, on average, more than seven tons of recyclable materials from landfills every week. A food waste compost program, which was started in 2009, diverts another five tons of food waste per month from landfills and turns it into reusable compost and mulch. They have also planted more than 200 trees and shrubs in an area destroyed by the 2007 wildfires and an organic herb and vegetable garden that is used by the culinary team in the employee dining room.

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