Colleges and universities are quietly and quickly becoming leaders in the green-energy movement in California.

In Central California, for example, West Hills Community College District plans an ambitious solar farm that would provide all the power needs for its three campuses.

West Hills would become the second community college in California to be grid positive. The other is Butte College in Oroville, which will use 25,000 solar panels on roofs and ground to produce all its power. That project is expected to finish in May.

The West Hills array will cover 39 acres, according to the Sierra2thesea news blog. When finished, it should provide all the power needs for campuses in Coalinga, Lemoore and Mendota.

As this item on Top Colleges notes, California schools, including some in the San Joaquin Valley, are sunny side up when it comes to solar power. And University of California, Merced, is gaining cred for its research into solar energy.

It makes sense to use the sun's resources to cut energy costs during this time of restrictive budgets and cost cutting. The projects also provide the schools with research and training sites for students in green construction and energy programs.

At West Hills, for example, students were trained to work on a solar site near Mendota, and could fill jobs at the proposed solar farm. Learn by doing; it's the best way to educate.

(Photo of West Hills Community College by dadi.com.hk)