Tracking the Path to Net Zero Energy
In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, our headquarters is designed to produce enough energy to meet or exceed its annual needs. During its first year of operation, ending in July 2013, the building’s rooftop solar panels produced 418 megawatt hours of electricity while all systems in the building consumed only 351 megawatt hours of electricity, returning 67 megawatt hours to the utility electric grid. Through generating its own electricity and returning some to the grid, the Foundation saved enough electricity to power 44 typical California homes for an entire year.
In September 2013, the International Living Future Institute granted the building Net Zero Energy Building certification, confirming the building’s achievement.
The graph above is compiled at the end of each day to show cumulative progress towards the net zero/net production goal. The positive deviation in the graph shows we are on track to reach net zero or net production.
Note: The graph shows the balance of energy supplied to or borrowed from the PG&E power grid. A downward slope shows a net energy* consumption trend, while an upward slope shows a net energy production trend.
*Net Energy: Total Kilowatt hours of electricity produced by the solar panels minus the amount consumed by all systems in the building.