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Hillel San Diego: 3 Carports for 4 Campuses

Commercial Case Study

HILLEL SAN DIEGO
LA JOLLA, CA

Challenge

Hillel San Diego is an inclusive Jewish faith-based organization that mentors and assists college students at local universities SDSU, UCSD, CSU San Marcos, and the University of San Diego. The group was looking to lower operating costs yet their La Jolla building and lot presented space challenges.

Solution

HES Solar designed, built, and energized three carport solar arrays in the Hillel San Diego parking area. 90 solar panels provide shade for cars beneath and an estimated 66,698 kWh of electricity for the offices they power. The clean carport arrays accentuate the unique, angular design of the building they flank.

Customer Benefit

The organization can save money as it enriches the lives of nearly 2,000 Jewish students in the nearby universities. The organization looks to save over half a million dollars in electric bill savings over the first 25 years of the system’s operation. The savings are scheduled to create a short payback period of just seven years.

Aerial view down on 3 solar carports and a unique complex of three buildings with angular roofs.

Quick Facts

  • 42.3 kW
    Total System Size
  • 90
    Number of Panels
  • 66,698 kWh
    Estimated Annual Output
  • $512,350
    Estimated First Year Savings From Solar
  • $512,350
    Estimated 25-Year Electric Bill Savings
  • 7 Years
    Payback Period
“At the YMCA of San Diego County, we’re always looking to implement sustainability measures to help our facilities be energy efficient.”
- Luis D’CarpioVice President of Facilities & Sustainability
YMCA of San Diego County
“Hamann Construction selected HES Solar to help deliver this project due to their competitive pricing and the similar shared values of integrity, quality workmanship, and a customer first focus, all of which has been at the heart of Hamann Construction for over 60 years.”
Hamann Companies
"The reason we went with HES is that they were very transparent, they were up front about what they were going to do, the pricing, everything was laid out clearly and we had a good feeling about them and knew they would get the job done. The installation process went smooth. The project manager broke everything down, month to month, week to week, and sent us updates on what was going on. Those updates told us everything, and if we had questions, we asked, and we'd get responses really quickly. Like I said, it was painless, and we were very happy with that.”
- Michael NepomucenoVice President, Operations
BioFilm Inc.
“Energy Toolbase and HES Solar have been great partners to work with and we are optimistic about deploying many more energy storage systems together in the future."
- Michael LiuSenior Director of Energy Storage
BYD
"We care about being good stewards of the environment and about our bottomline. Why did we choose to go solar? The ROI is fantastic! We were waiting for a company that gave us a good vibe and was less pushy, sales techniques, and just the nuts and bolts of solar. That's what Ross and his team at HES Solar offer. They provided a good, solid plan to go solar with little involvement from us after signing the contract. There was little to no disruption to our business operations. Wenjie was the project lead and he ran with it, and now we've got this turn-key product that's going to substantially reduce our power bills. If you were to ask me when is a good time to go solar I'd say yesterday. Do it now! Our only regret is that we didn't do it sooner.”
- Matt Morton Director of Development
The Brigantine Restaurant Corporation
“The decision to go solar was based on multiple factors. Long term cost savings and clean energy was what we wanted, and there was a nice tax write off. When you add all of those factors together it was a no brainer, and we get so much sunlight here that it keeps producing every day. A friend of mine is an engineer and did a lot of research and he recommended HES Solar. We outsourced our research and compared bids and chose HES Solar; they met our requirements, they’re a very professional company and have the best equipment and best SunPower panels..”
- John Cobian GM
Cobian Sandals
“We decided to go solar and to install EV chargers in our facility after a careful analysis of the return on investment (ROI). For the ROI calculation, we took in consideration the benefit to our community, our team, and our bottom line. Solar allows us to continue growing while offsetting the considerable (and increasing) cost of electricity. We chose HES Solar because of our commitment to invest where we make our x-ray machines – thus creating local jobs and improving the lives of our team and their families."
- Dr. Bill CardosoFounder and Owner
Creative Electron
“Every community we create is designed with the wants and needs of our customers in mind. Our residents tell us that conserving energy and saving money on their electricity bill is important to them. Solterra is the first apartment community in San Diego to derive all the electricity residents need for daily living from the sun.”
- Mike NealPresident and CEO
H.G. Fenton
"HES installed Solar Panels on our commercial building. They were able to work with the City of Encinitas quickly to get our permits. Their bid was much more reasonable than other companies that do commercial installations. The installation went smoothly and they did a great job. A couple of issues identified were handled fairly and professionally by HES. They have a knowledgeable and friendly team, and the management personnel are accessible and easy to work with. I would highly recommend this company for your Solar installations."
- O Holmes
"HES did the solar panels for our church (Vista La Mesa Christian Church in La Mesa) about a year ago. They did such a great job that I recently contacted them to expand the solar system for our home. They came out right away to take measurements and give us an estimate, and now the project is under way. This week the electrician, Mike, came out to upgrade our electrical panel. Just about the nicest guy you could meet! I have only positive things to say about this company."
- Karen C.
- Karen C.
"We used HES several years ago for the installation of a ground mounted solar system. We had a very long wire run and they did a great job installing the conduits with access points and finding a suitable location for maximum sun exposure. The system performed flawless since then. A few years later we wanted to expand the system. Several solar companies we contacted told us it would be very expensive, require new trenching or not possible at all. We contacted HES again. We had some initial run around with the design consultant who was not familiar with our system. Eventually, Martin Learn the owner came out and designed an upgrade solution that was very cost-effective, made use of the existing conduits and panel support structure. He offered us newer, more effective panels that blended in perfectly with the old ones. Thankfully they had designed the original system with an upgrade in mind. The crew doing the upgrade did an excellent job and avoided any stucco damage on the house entry points."
- Bernd S.

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IMPORTANT COMPANY INFORMATION​

HES SOLAR REMAINS OPEN FOR SERVICE

The residential-only entity HES Solar has redefined its scope and has narrowed its focus to home solar service and home battery service. The impact of 2023 California regulations to home solar projects has required this company truncation; we regret the elimination of new home energy installations from our offerings. HES Solar now concentrates on supporting existing systems with maintenance and repair services for HES Solar and non-HES Solar systems and remains available for workmanship warranty work on qualified HES Solar systems. 

For commercial solar and commercial energy storage design, installation, service, and O&M offerings, please visit the HES Renewables website hesrenewables.com. 

A note on the state of California residential solar: The residential solar industry has faced significant financial hurdles in the last few years as a direct result of hostile policy, most notably NEM 3.0. Our primary trade partner, SunPower, went into Chapter 11 in August, 2024, and a majority of other solar companies, large and small, have been forced to close, leave California, or restructure. We are glad to remain available as a home energy service group to support our customers and provide maintenance and repair for home systems that have been orphaned by other company closures. 

We recognize your frustration with this news and never intended for our beloved 24-year-old residential solar business to curtail its offerings.

Robert Laverty

Senior Energy Consultant, Residential

Robert Laverty joined the HES team in the summer of 2018, bringing his ten years of solar design experience and his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Puget Sound with him. Robert is dedicated to finding solutions to help families produce and store electricity in order to reduce their reliance on grid power as well as help reduce their household’s carbon footprint. Robert’s experience as a newspaper editor as well as his involvement with the sustainability-focused Rocky Mountain Institute drives him to constantly seek out innovative ways to meet energy needs through renewable resources as well as helps him share those ideas with Southern California homeowners. When not at work or volunteering time with his church or community, Robert spends time with his wife and two sons or pursues his passion of fly fishing.

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