Powering a Brighter Future

CCHAT Benefits from Solar and Storage Pilot Program from SMUD

At CCHAT, our mission has always been clear: to teach children who are deaf and hard of hearing to listen and speak, empowering them to achieve lifelong success. Now, thanks to generous support from SMUD, we are taking an important step toward strengthening that mission by investing in a more sustainable future for our campus and our community.

A Solar Project with Lasting Impact

Through the SMUD Solar and Storage Pilot Program, CCHAT has successfully converted the primary energy source of our 6,000-square-foot Rancho Cordova campus to solar power. Rooftop solar panels, installed by Superior Solar, are now actively powering our campus and improving our building’s energy efficiency, and significantly reducing our carbon footprint.

We are honored to collaborate with SMUD as they spearhead the transition to a sustainable energy future. Their commitment to projects like ours not only fosters the use of renewable energy but also plays a crucial role in advancing electrification throughout the region.

But for CCHAT, this project represents more than environmental stewardship; it represents opportunity.

Investing Savings Back into Students

CCHAT is proud to provide all of its listening and spoken language services at no cost to families. From daily speech therapy and academic instruction to audiological services and parent education, our comprehensive programming requires significant operational support.

By transitioning to solar energy, CCHAT is projected to:

• Produce approximately 61,445 kWh in its first year of operation
• Save an estimated $7,556 annually in energy costs

Those savings can be redirected into what matters most - our students. Reduced utility costs strengthen our financial sustainability and allow us to continue investing in highly trained certificated staff, specialized services, and innovative programming for children with hearing loss.

Hundreds individuals, including students, families, audiology patients, staff, and community partners, enter our campus each year and will benefit from these improvements.

Serving Our Community… and Beyond

CCHAT’s campus is located in Rancho Cordova, a community identified as a disadvantaged area with high social vulnerability ratings. While our physical campus sits in this region, our impact reaches far beyond it. CCHAT serves families throughout the greater Sacramento area and across 18 counties through our center-based programs, mainstream services, and Newborn Hearing Diagnostic Program.

Strengthening our campus infrastructure strengthens the services we provide across the region.

A Partnership That Powers Progress

After careful research and multiple estimates, CCHAT selected Superior Solar as the contractor for this project. Their local expertise and 25-year warranty on panel microinverters provide confidence that this investment will deliver long-term results.

We are deeply grateful for SMUD’s partnership and longstanding commitment to CCHAT and the children we serve. Their support not only advances clean energy goals. It directly contributes to the educational, social, and vocational success of children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Modeling Sustainability for Our Community

This project also provides an opportunity to share knowledge. As a trusted nonprofit in the Sacramento region, CCHAT regularly collaborates with other community organizations and families, and we hope to encourage others to pursue sustainable, energy-efficient solutions of their own.

We believe in modeling forward-thinking solutions, in both education and environmental responsibility.

Looking Ahead

Installation is now complete, the system has successfully passed inspection, and CCHAT’s solar panels are actively generating clean electricity for our campus. As the system operates, we are monitoring utility usage and energy production to measure both the immediate savings and the long-term impact of this investment in sustainability.

For nearly 30 years, CCHAT has been a beacon of hope for families of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. With the support of partners like SMUD and Superior Solar, we are ensuring that our campus, like our students, is equipped for a strong and sustainable future.

Together, we are powering possibilities.