PORTERVILLE, CA, Nov. 4, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Burton School District, in the heart of California's sundrenched San Joaquin Valley, will house combined solar and energy storage systems from SolarCity (Nasdaq:SCTY). The district will install solar and DemandLogic™, SolarCity's smart energy storage system for businesses, to generate and store its own clean, renewable electricity at eight schools - the largest combined solar and energy storage installation SolarCity has undertaken to date. DemandLogic will allow the district schools to reduce energy costs by using stored electricity to lower peak demand.

SolarCity will install the district's solar systems and advanced battery technology at eight elementary and middle schools, as well as additional solar generation at a district office. The solar installations will total more than 1.4 megawatts of clean power capacity, with storage providing an additional 360 kilowatts (720 kilowatt hours) of power to reduce peak demand. The new solar systems are expected to save the district more than $1 million dollars over the life of the contracts, and the DemandLogic battery storage systems could save thousands more on demand charges each year.

"With this remarkable development, Burton School District will not only stand at the leading edge of our country's clean tech revolution, but will also reap tremendous savings in our fixed-costs at the same time," said Burton School District superintendent Dr. Sharon Kamberg. "We will use the much needed savings to enhance our educational programs for students."

Burton School District retained TerraVerde Renewable Partners, an independent energy advisor, to assess and scope an optimal energy cost savings program, analyze financing options, organize the RFP process and help the district select the best candidate to meet the program's specifications.

The new SolarCity systems are expected to generate 2.3 million kilowatt hours of solar energy annually, and enough over the life of the contract to power more than 4,000 homes for a year. The solar systems will also help avoid more than 43 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere and save more than 203 million gallons of water*, an especially important environmental benefit in the drought-stricken valley. The entire storage project is expected to be complete by May 2015.

SolarCity DemandLogic™ can allow schools and businesses to reduce energy costs by using stored electricity to reduce peak demand. It includes learning software that automates the discharge of stored energy to optimize demand charge savings for customers.

*Environmental calculations are based on 20 year solar system contracts and data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

About SolarCity

SolarCity® (Nasdaq:SCTY) provides clean energy. The company has disrupted the century-old energy industry by providing renewable electricity directly to homeowners, businesses and government organizations for less than they spend on utility bills. SolarCity gives customers control of their energy costs to protect them from rising rates. The company makes solar energy easy by taking care of everything from design and permitting to monitoring and maintenance. SolarCity currently serves 15 states and signs up a new customer every minute of the workday. Visit the company online at www.solarcity.com and follow the company on Facebook & Twitter.

About TerraVerde Renewable Partners

TerraVerde Renewable Partners, headquartered in Larkspur, California, is an independent energy advisor that helps schools, public agencies and private companies reduce energy costs. Selected as CASBO's Strategic Alliance Partner: Energy Advisor, the firm provides School District's with comprehensive Proposition 39 program development services. As an independent and objective third party, TerraVerde evaluates the feasibility of energy cost reduction projects at no cost to the client. On behalf of its clients, TerraVerde creates and manages a competitive bid process to secure qualified providers of installation and financing services, oversees implementation of the project, and provides ongoing asset management and performance reporting services to ensure that energy cost savings goals are achieved. For more information, please visit: www.tvrpllc.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements regarding future savings, environmental offsets and project completion timelines. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved, if at all. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward looking statements. You should read the section entitled "Risk Factors" in SolarCity's quarterly report on Form 10-Q, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and identifies certain of these and additional risks and uncertainties. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

CONTACT: Media Contact Zan Dubin Scott for SolarCity 310-392-1130 zan@zdscommunications.com

Source: SolarCity

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