Energy at BART

Solar carport by Highway 4 and Antioch BART station

New Antioch BART Station Equipped with 1MW of On-Site Solar

July 2018 – Antioch Station, the new terminal BART station that connects riders to Pittsburg Center and Pittsburg/Bay Point Stations, opened to the public on May 26, 2018. Sitting atop hundreds of parking spaces are rows of new solar panels. These solar carports provide covered parking to BART riders’ vehicles while generating cost effective renewable energy. BART’s new 1 megawatt (MW) of solar carports generate more than enough energy to power Antioch station, or the equivalent of powering 200 homes with renewable energy each year.

This on-site solar project promotes distributed energy generation and supports BART’s sustainability commitment to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2045. For more information on BART’s sustainability roadmap, visit the Sustainability Policies and Plans webpage.

BART Executes Two Long-Term Renewable PPAs

December 2017 - Through its first ever renewable energy RFP, BART on December 8, 2017 executed two long-term power purchase agreements with renewable energy developers for energy supplies that will meet at least 75% of BART's energy needs for 20 years beginning in 2021. In line with the Wholesale Electricity Portfolio Policy, adopted in April 2017, BART staff negotiated the two PPAs with Recurrent Energy (for output from the 45 MW Gaskell West 2 solar project) and with NextEra Energy (for output from the 62 MW Sky River wind project). Both projects will be located in Kern County, CA and are slated for commercial operation on January 1, 2021.

All 2017 Renewable RFP materials can be found here.
More news on these purchases can be found here.

BART Board adopts Wholesale Electricity Portfolio Policy

April 2017 - BART is one of the largest consumers of electric power in Northern California, using about 400,000 megawatt hours of electricity annually. This is about as much as the City of Alameda uses each year. The composition of BART’s power portfolio impacts the greenhouse gas ("GHG") footprint of everyone who relies upon BART. By adopting the Wholesale Electricity Portfolio Policy, BART is strengthening the region's commitment to sustainability.

Highlights of the policy include performance measures to maintain low and stable BART operating costs, and to achieve a wholesale electric portfolio that:

  • Has an average emission factor no greater than 100 lbs-CO2e/MWh during the period 2017 through 2024 (inclusive).
  • Is from at least 50% Eligible Renewable sources and from at least 90% low and zero carbon sources by 2025.
  • Is 100% from zero carbon sources by 2035.
  • Is 100% from Eligible Renewable sources by 2045.
The full policy can be found here (PDF).

Energy at BART - Background Materials

Contact Information

Please address any questions or comments regarding Energy at BART to [email protected].

To receive future communications related to BART’s purchases or sales of energy-related and climate-related products, including renewable energy, capacity products, GHG Allowances, Low Carbon Fuel Standard credits and more, please sign up on the Energy Solicitations Sign-Up page.