SilRay, a full-service commercial solar energy solutions provider, announced the completion of two solar installation projects at educational institutions in the San Francisco Bay Area in the second quarter of 2016.

The schools, St. Nicholas Catholic School in Los Altos Hills, CA, and Palmer College of Chiropractic in downtown San Jose, CA, will reduce annual electricity costs by an estimated $6,600 and $68,000, respectively.

"Schools are increasingly adopting solar energy as a way to improve operating costs, freeing up funds to provide a richer learning environment for students and teachers," said April Zhong, CEO of SilRay. "In addition to reducing electricity costs, transitioning to solar energy reduces each institution's carbon footprint and helps students deepen their appreciation for environmental preservation and scientific advancements."

The 105-panel solar installation at St. Nicholas Catholic School, which serves students in grades K-8, is expected to produce over 37,210 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year. The installation is expected to save the school an estimated $165,000 over the project's lifetime.

"The transition to solar energy not only furthers our commitment to providing a cleaner environment for our students, but also enables us to reallocate additional funding to our programs because of the reduced electricity costs," said Matt Komar, Principal of St. Nicholas Catholic School. "The construction and completion of the solar installation has increased our students' desire to learn more about how they can protect the environment. SilRay's work with educational institutions is representative of their ongoing commitment to empowering the community with renewable energy."

The 954-panel solar array at Palmer College of Chiropractic, one of the largest Chiropractic Colleges on the West Coast, is expected to provide an output of 450,000 kWh per year and lead to substantial electricity cost savings. The installation is expected to save the school $2.3 million over the project's lifetime. The building at 90 East Tasman Drive near downtown San Jose, California, is owned by Market Street Capital Investors.

"Throughout the course of the project, SilRay displayed their commitment to customer service and green culture," said Victor Lo, Managing Partner of Market Street Capital Investors. "SilRay is passionate about providing customers with the best renewable energy solution for our needs, and displayed a client-sided approach that made the project feel seamless. Through clear and consistent communication, SilRay completed the project on time and on budget, as they said they would."

SilRay has recently received numerous distinctions for its work, including recognition as the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Retail Energy Firm of the Year, ASIAN, Inc.'s Minority Business Enterprise of the Year, and most recently, it was named a Top 50 Fast Growing Private Company in Silicon Valley.