California Center for Sustainable Energy

CCSE is especially thankful for the support of our major sponsors. To learn how they are contributing to a clean energy future and energy independence, check out these success stories.

San Diego Gas & Electric | Qualcomm | Sullivan Solar Power | Nissan USA

SDG&E’s Sustainable Communities Program

To help the San Diego region reach California’s goal of achieving a third of its electrical power from renewable sources by 2020, SDG&E operates a creative, award-winning program that places clean generation systems on green buildings.

Since its inception in 2004, SDG&E’s Sustainable Communities Program has worked to encourage and support the construction of green buildings that are environmentally responsible, sustainably designed, energy efficient by integrating clean energy systems within those buildings. The program strategically places SDG&E-owned generation systems, such as photovoltaics, fuel cells and wind power, within these green building projects to provide energy to the grid. The systems are installed, maintained and operated by SDG&E.

The Sustainable Communities Program recently reached a major milestone after energizing more than two megawatts of solar on 18 energy-efficient, sustainably designed office buildings, schools, warehouses, municipal buildings and research centers throughout San Diego County. Together, they are capable of producing enough electricity to power more than 1,400 homes, and the CO₂ emissions saved are equivalent to not driving a car 5,620,000 miles. There are additional projects totaling more than one megawatt under contract or construction.

"We honor our customers with Sustainable Communities Champion awards to recognize them for their leadership. Their projects represent some of the greenest buildings in the nation and are local examples for others to follow," said Alex Kim, SDG&E director of customer innovations.

The program has become a model for other utilities, and SDG&E has won national awards for the forward-looking, innovation and uniqueness of the program.

Success Stories

The success of the program is due to the collaboration of SDG&E and its customers. Notable success stories include:

• Reuben H. Fleet Science Center features an interactive learning exhibit on energy sponsored by SDG&E
• Urban Corps of San Diego County features the first SDG&E Sustainable Experience kiosk – a touch-screen exhibit that provides information on the project’s green features, their partnership with SDG&E and monitors the facility’s solar production
• Architects Hanna Gabriel Wells was the first net-zero energy office building in San Diego with a web-based energy monitoring system

Sustainable Communities Program is always looking for innovative projects, so if you have a green commercial building, please find out if you qualify by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visiting www.sdge.com/sustainable for more information.

Sustainability Is Key for Qualcomm

Digital wireless technologies innovator Qualcomm, Inc. is proud to join with CCSE as a supporter of Sustainable Energy Week 2010.

Qualcomm has a policy of high-level corporate environmental responsibility in reducing energy consumption, using recycling methods and addressing global climate change concerns. The San Diego-based company has 147 facilities totaling more than 6.8 million square feet operating in 15 states and 30 countries. According to Gail Welch, Qualcomm manager of sustainability, part of their corporate strategy is to consistently reduce consumption of natural resources.

“As a company, we are sensitive and aware of the environment and want to do our part to promote sustainable practices in the community,” Welch said. “We believe it is important to reach out to families and other local businesses to educate them about solar energy.”

Qualcomm’s energy goals focus on reducing energy demand, maximizing energy efficiency and incorporating sustainable design and products in new construction and building retrofits. They have two 4.5 MW cogeneration systems, 500 kW of solar photovoltaic, hybrid corporate vehicles and corporate dining facilities in San Diego that are certified by the Green Restaurant Association. Qualcomm self-generates almost 90 percent of the electricity used at their Sorrento Mesa location, which includes their LEED Gold Certified “W” campus.

Since 1992, the company has implemented more than 350 separate energy-efficiency projects, resulting in an annual savings of approximately 12 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 525,000 therms of natural gas – enough to power more than 2,000 California homes.

In addition, Qualcomm is doing its part to conserve water by using reclaimed water where possible and is proactively involved in company-wide recycling programs. Qualcomm is a charter member of the California Climate Action Registry and has voluntarily reported its greenhouse gas emissions since 2002.

Sullivan Solar Power Offers Sustainability

Since 2004, San Diego’s locally headquartered turnkey solar provider, Sullivan Solar Power, has extended its commitment to the environment and social responsibility in all of its activities from purchasing and transportation to education and employment.

During the past six years, the Sullivan team has designed and installed more than 500 photovoltaic ( PV) systems across Southern California that have offset the equivalent of 5,400 tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions.

Sullivan Solar Power is dedicated to furthering the development of solar energy throughout the region by putting an emphasis on outreach and education, hosting dozens of free solar presentations each year throughout the county. In addition, the company has a strong commitment to educating future generations about solar technology and is a proud partner and major sponsor of the San Diego Renewable Energy Society’s annual Junior Solar Sprint.

The event gives local students in 6^th-8^th grade science classes an opportunity to learn about solar by designing and building small, solar-powered model cars and competing in races between schools at the end of the project. Sullivan’s solar experts also serve as instructors for the only solar PV electrical course that is offered through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 569, which is sponsored and administered by Sullivan. Using the training program's students, Sullivan managed the installation of the rooftop solar PV system at the California Center for Sustainable Energy in Kearny Mesa.

The firm utilizes its strong purchasing power by only using local, American-made products in order to help grow the economy. They also purchase sustainable office supplies and use green printing methods for marketing materials. When it comes to transportation, the company goes sustainable by leasing one of first Mini Cooper electric cars released in the nation and is lined up to receive the Nissan Leaf when it enters the market.

In its monthly newsletter, Sullivan provides its clients with green tips for energy savings and lifestyle behaviors to encourage a conscious future for our region. In addition to environmental sustainability, the company focuses on social responsibility by paying living wages to all of its employees. Sullivan Solar Power is proud to have recently been named in the Top 1000 fastest growing privately owned firms in the nation by Inc. Magazine and in the Top 100 in San Diego by the San Diego Business Journal.

Nissan: Driving to Sustainability

In the 1990s, Nissan saw a resurgence of interest and technological progress in electric vehicles. As in the past, the odds were not in favor of widespread zero-emissions mobility. Regardless of progress on batteries and motors, electric vehicles continued to be a sideshow for two principle reasons: lack of demand and a lack of a mass-marketed product – a classic chicken-and-egg scenario.

And so the stalemate continued — until now. Automakers are laying out plans to bring a variety of electric cars to the market in the next two years, and Nissan is investing to bring zero-emissions technology on a global scale.

We think that zero-emissions vehicles are the answer to reducing CO₂ in a world that is forecast to have 2.5 billion vehicles in operation by 2050. We believe electric vehicles could account for as much as 10 percent of global sales by 2020. Many think we are hopelessly optimistic in our forecast. However, our research tells us that many consumers already are concluding that the time is right for electric cars.

No More Concepts

In a few months, we’ll launch the LEAF and have announced plans for other products, too. Simply put, we are confident in our lithium-ion battery technology. We are producing our own batteries, through a joint venture with NEC, so we will have better control of quality, cost and the ability to meet our forecast demand. Through a separate venture with Sumitomo, we are planning a business to refabricate, resell, reuse and recycle the batteries, giving them a second life as energy-storage solutions in markets worldwide.

We are also part of the only automotive group that has established partnerships with governments, municipalities, utility providers and other organizations to lay the foundation both for the charging infrastructure and for incentives and policies that will encourage consumers to embrace electric cars.

We Are Ready

Electric cars have been around for a century, so we are not concerned about being the first to market. We are, however, eager to lead the drive to make zero-emissions mobility an affordable and practical reality and offer consumers the first electric vehicle – the Nissan LEAF - that they will want to own, drive and enjoy, along with the satisfaction of being part of the next major shift in the evolution of the automobile.

Continue reading September's newsletter.