San Diego, CA
The Southwestern Yacht Club (SWYC) is a premier fixture of the San Diego maritime community. Located on the beautiful shores of Point Loma, the club has served as a hub for competitive racing, cruising, and world-class sportfishing since 1925. Maintaining a high-end waterfront facility—complete with a bustling clubhouse, full-service galley, and extensive dock infrastructure—requires a massive, constant flow of electricity. To honor its commitment to ocean stewardship and fiscal responsibility, the Southwestern Yacht Club partnered with Stellar Solar Commercial to deploy a high-capacity rooftop solar system designed for the unique demands of the marine environment.
Engineering a solar solution for a coastal yacht club requires more than just standard hardware; it requires a deep understanding of salt-air corrosion, high-wind zones, and peak-demand management. Stellar Solar Commercial designed and installed a robust 100.44kW (DC) rooftop system that turns the club’s expansive roof into a high-output power plant.
The technical architecture of the SWYC installation features:
-186 LONGI Hi-MO LR5-72HBH 540M Modules: LONGI is a global leader in high-efficiency monocrystalline technology. These 540-watt modules were selected for their exceptional power density and durability, allowing the club to generate a massive amount of energy from its available roof space.
-SolarEdge SE80KW (277/480V) Inverter: To manage the high-voltage electrical needs of the facility, we utilized a specialized SolarEdge 80kW inverter. This system uses power optimizers to ensure that every individual panel performs at its peak, providing granular monitoring and mitigating any performance loss from coastal shading or marine layers.
-Industrial-Scale Capacity: At over 100kW, this system is a heavy-duty energy asset, engineered to offset the significant electrical load of the clubhouse’s commercial kitchen, climate control, and dock lighting.
For a club that spends its days on the water, protecting the local environment is a core value. By transitioning to renewable energy, the Southwestern Yacht Club has effectively neutralized a significant portion of its carbon footprint. In the 2026 energy landscape, where SDG&E rates for coastal commercial properties have reached historic highs, the foresight of this 100kW installation has transformed the club’s roof into a powerful financial shield.
Generating clean power on-site does more than just lower a bill; it stabilizes the club’s long-term operating margins. Every kilowatt-hour produced by the sun is one less kilowatt-hour purchased from the utility at premium coastal rates. This allows the SWYC to redirect those capital savings back into its primary mission—enhancing member experiences, supporting junior sailing programs, and maintaining its world-class slips.
Since 1998, Stellar Solar Commercial has been the preferred partner for San Diego’s most iconic coastal organizations. Our 28-year history is built on a foundation of technical expertise and a deep understanding of the specific permitting and engineering requirements for the Port of San Diego and coastal commission zones.
Our in-house team of engineers and project managers handles the entire lifecycle of these 100kW+ projects—from initial structural roof analysis to the complex utility interconnection and high-voltage electrical work. We specialize in working within “live” club environments, ensuring that member access and daily operations remain uninterrupted during the construction phase.
As we move through 2026, the strategy for coastal commercial properties has evolved to include Solar + Battery Storage. For organizations like the Southwestern Yacht Club, adding a battery system provides an extra layer of resilience, ensuring critical dock systems and clubhouse security remain online even during grid instability or coastal outages.
Stellar Solar Commercial continues to lead this energy revolution, helping San Diego’s maritime community build a resilient, low-cost energy future. We turn high utility overhead into a sustainable competitive advantage.
If your club or coastal facility is ready to follow the lead of the Southwestern Yacht Club and reclaim control over your energy future, contact Stellar Solar Commercial today at 858-395-6905. We provide comprehensive, free commercial site evaluations to help you discover the solar potential of your property.