Universal Technical Institute of California

W. P. Carey funds and manages carport solar installation under power purchase agreement (PPA) for existing tenant, following initial sale-leaseback

Tenant Description: Leading vocational trade school campus offering hands-on training for a variety of careers
Transaction Type: Sale-leaseback* and follow-on carport solar system with tenant PPA
Location: California
Facility Type: Educational facility
Green Features: Carport solar system

In 2025, W. P. Carey entered into an agreement with its existing tenant, Universal Technical Institute of California, Inc (UTI), to install a carport solar system—converting an existing parking area into a source of on-site power. The system became operational in 2026 and is now generating electricity for the facility.

This sustainability improvement builds on W. P. Carey’s initial sale-leaseback of the 178,000-square-foot facility in 2007. 

The expected outcome:

  • Immediate utility savings—with no upfront capital
  • Fixed annual increases that are lower than local utility rate increases
  • Alignment with tenant’s sustainability goals        

The project is just one example of how W. P. Carey’s Carey Tenant Solutions platform helps tenants reduce utility costs and advance their sustainability goals.

The expected environmental impact of the solar system:

  • Solar system size: 740 kW
  • Anticipated power generation: 1.2 million kWh/yr
  • Anticipated carbon avoided: 246 MTCO2e/yr
*In a sale-leaseback, a company sells its real estate to an investor likeW. P. Careyfor cash and simultaneously enters into a long-term lease. In doing so, the company extracts 100% of the propertys value and converts an otherwise illiquid asset into working capital to reinvest in its business or pay down debt, while maintaining operational control.