The trend is clear: A growing number of U.S. colleges and universities are going solar. Arizona State, University of Arizona, Rutgers, Mount St. Mary’s University, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the University of California system, and hundreds more schools have deployed many megawatts of solar photovoltaic systems on—and off—their campuses over the past few years.
For colleges and universities considering adding solar to their power generation mix, here’s a rundown of some things to remember.
The vast majority of university solar systems operate under a power purchase agreement (PPA), which allows the school to benefit from little or no upfront costs and to pay a third-party developer or system owner (who also gets tax equity incentives) for the power generated. By locking into a set price over the length of the PPA—usually between 15 and 25 years—the college can accurately scope its energy costs and move away from the unpredictability of utility rate charges. As the PPA contract matures, the amount of energy savings increases over time. PPAs also free the university from operations and maintenance costs and other budgetary outlays.
In addition to the cost savings and predictability, the obvious clean energy benefit allows schools to lessen or eliminate their fossil-fuel use, reduce their carbon footprint and enhance their sustainability efforts. For those universities with their own small power plants, the transition from coal or natural gas to solar will also mean a marked improvement in the amount of air pollution on campus.
Another thing to keep in mind: land use. Where are the solar systems going to be built? Is there adequate open space or rooftop real estate on campus where PV arrays can be installed? Many campuses have long-term construction plans in the works, and sometimes solar can be a valuable add-on to proposals that are already in the works. Be sure to review all the site-location options to maximize your solar investment.
Since colleges and universities are in the education business, there is also an intangible value to having solar on campus. Inspiring the next generation of leaders and thinkers to embrace clean energy by providing them first-hand experience with solar energy may help shape their relationship with power generation and consumption. Public kiosks with monitoring stations and online access to system data can broaden the horizons of students and staff alike. After all, that’s what college is for, right?
By Nathan Vogel, director of strategy, Inovateus Solar
