Salk Institute goes solar

The Salk Institute of Biological Sciences has selected San Diego-based Stellar Solar to design and install a new 500 kW rooftop solar electric system for its architecturally renowned campus in La Jolla, according to Tim Ball, the institute’s senior director of facilities services.

The buildings were completed in 1965 and officially designated a National Historic Landmark in 1991. As such, providing a long-term strategy to care for the facility’s energy needs was a key part of the decision.

In addition, solar is seen as a way to help save money on the institute’s energy bill, Ball said.

“As a nonprofit institution, we are always looking for ways to stretch budgets and save money,” Ball said.

“We found we could produce our own solar electricity onsite for about 30 percent lower than what SDG&E charges us.”