On April 22, Dickinson College, Haverford College, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Muhlenberg College and Swarthmore College announced they have joined with three colleges in North Carolina as a part of an innovative, large-scale solar energy facility in western Kentucky.

The joint initiative will allow the schools to access the benefits of renewable energy through a deal typically only feasible for large customers.

“It’s really exciting to be a part of this project,” says Ken Shultes, AVP for Sustainability and Facilities Planning at Dickinson. “When combining this project with our 3-megawatt (MW) Solar Field, we are mitigating 100% of our Scope 2 carbon emissions.”

Guided by Coho, an ERM Group Company, the institutions are working with NextEra Energy Resources, the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun, and a world leader in battery energy storage.

The consortium is supporting the Sebree Solar II project through a PPA that entails purchasing energy for 20 years. The Sebree Solar II project is set to begin construction in early 2025 and commence commercial operation by the end of 2026.

The solar site is projected to provide enough energy to annually power more than 24,000 homes when complete.

The solar facility will be located near the town of Robards, Kentucky, near the Ohio River.

The Sebree Solar II project will offer considerable environmental benefits as the project will generate up to 150 MW of clean, renewable energy.

Over its 30-year lifespan, the solar site will contribute approximately $12 million in additional tax revenue to Henderson County which can be used for roads, schools and other public services.

While electricity generated by the Sebree Solar II project cannot be transmitted directly to the consortium campuses because of distance, the benefits of investing in new additional renewable energy will still be transferred to the schools.

Dickinson will be paying for an amount of energy equal to approximately 75% percent of the electricity used by its campus, with the remainder being satisfied by the college’s 3 MW Solar Field.

In exchange, Dickinson will receive renewable energy credits, which can be used to account for greenhouse gas emissions related to purchased electricity.

Notably, Dickinson was one of the first ten colleges in the country to achieve neutrality.

Moving forward, its focus is on reducing reliance on offsets, and more generally to continue to introduce operational sustainability initiatives as learning opportunities for students.

Dickinson will receive access to data from the Sebree Solar II project for classroom use, as well as campus speaking engagements, site visits and student internships.

“We are pleased to work with Dickinson and the other institutions to help them achieve their sustainability goals,” said Anthony Pedroni, vice president, renewable development and M&A NextEra Energy Resources. “This solar energy project will generate homegrown energy and provide millions of dollars in additional tax revenue to Henderson County over the life of the project.”

The colleges in North Carolina are Davidson College, Elon University and Wake Forest University.

Related Articles This Week:

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Commitment To Get 50% Of Electricity For State Government From Solar Energy Facilities In Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- EPA Awards PA Energy Development Authority Over $156 Million To Deliver Residential Solar, Lowering Energy Costs, Advancing Environmental Justice Across Pennsylvania  [PaEN]

-- DEP: Pennsylvania To Receive Over $156 Million For Solar For All Initiative

-- USDA Awards Funding For 55 PA Farm, Small Business Clean Energy Projects  [PaEN]

-- 5 Pennsylvania Colleges, Join 3 From North Carolina In Joint Solar Energy Power Purchase Agreement From Facility In Kentucky [PaEN]

-- Philadelphia Solar Energy Assn./DEP Publish New Go Solar And Save Toolkit For Schools  [PaEN]

-- DEP Awards $2.9 Million For Clean Diesel Transportation To Improve Air Quality  [PaEN]

-- PennDOT Opens Next Round Of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Funding May 13; April 30 Webinar On This Opportunity  [PaEN]

-- PA Moms Clean Air Force Celebrates Deployment Of First Electric Schools At Steelton-Highspire School District In Dauphin County Funded By EPA's Clean School Bus Program  [PaEN] 

-- Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance Organizing 2025 Abandoned Mine Pools As Resources Conference April 23-24   [PaEN]

-- Comments Invited By DEP On Stronghold Digital Mining Panther Creek Power Plant Title V Air Quality Permit Renewal   [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: PA Plans To Roll Out Solar Access Plan With New $156 Million Federal Grant

-- Post-Gazette: JM Steel Doubles Steel Output For Solar Industry, With Plans For Continued Growth

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: JM Steel To Double Capacity And Solar Energy Work At Growing Steel Plant In Leetsdale

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Eos Utility-Scale Battery Storage Company Sees Manufacturing Line Ready By This Quarter

-- The Allegheny Front: US Energy Secretary Visits Pittsburgh Steel Plant To Tout New Energy Efficiency Rule, Union Jobs

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Saving Butler Steel Mill From New Federal Rules Was Inspired Policymaking

-- York Daily Record: York County Commissioners Approve C-PACE Program To Help Businesses Fund Renewable Energy, Conservation

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Coherent Announces 70% Of Its Electric Needs From Renewables

-- Utility Dive: FERC: Extreme Winter Weather Electric Grid Performance Improves; 5 Other Takeaways From FERC’s Meeting

-- The Guardian: US Seeing Surge Of Climate-Related Power Outages, Report Says

-- EPA Finalizes Suite Of Standards To Reduce Pollution From Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants

-- The Allegheny Front: New EPA Rules Cut Carbon, Mercury, Other Pollution From Coal, New Gas-fired Power Plants

-- PA Senate Republican Statement On New 'Disastrous’ New EPA Power Plant Pollution Reduction Rules

-- Sen. Yaw: Statement On New EPA Power Plant Emission Reduction Rules

-- The Daily Item: Republicans Con. Meuser, Sen. Yaw Call New EPA Rule On Coal An Assault On American Energy

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PJM Electric Grid Has Significant Decline In Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxide, Sulfur Dioxide Emissions Since 2005

[Posted: April 22, 2024]

4/29/2024