Lehigh University will soon add a 2.61-megawatt (MW) solar project on its campus as a critical component of its strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. Standard Solar recently acquired the Lehigh Valley project from developer EDF Renewables North America, further solidifying the company's commitment to advancing solar energy in Pennsylvania and educational institutions nationwide.
"This transaction adds to Standard Solar's impressive track record of successfully bringing solar solutions to schools, empowering them with clean and sustainable energy sources," said Eric Partyka, Director of Business Development, Standard Solar. "We're thrilled to continue our successful development and construction partnership with EDF Renewables North America with this newest project - delivering clean energy to Pennsylvania's Lehigh University community."
Upon completion, the project is anticipated to fully power the Murray H. Goodman Campus, where the majority of the university's athletic facilities are located. This solar installation is expected to meet 100 percent of the campus's electricity demands while offsetting 8 percent of the university's overall grid electricity consumption.
The single-axis tracker system is estimated to generate approximately 5,224 megawatt-hours (MWh) of clean energy each year, enough to power about 285 houses for one year and offset the carbon dioxide equivalent of burning more than 1,250 tons of coal in one year. This latest acquisition marks another milestone in the company's longstanding partnership with EDF Renewables North America and a growing project portfolio in Pennsylvania. Standard Solar currently owns and operates several projects in the state.
The Lehigh Valley project is part of Standard Solar's rapidly expanding portfolio in the education sector. The company currently owns and operates more than 35 MW of solar projects serving educational institutions, encompassing both K-12 schools and higher education establishments.
"We look forward to our ongoing expansion efforts in Pennsylvania and remain fully committed to supporting the state's journey to becoming a thriving hub for distributed generation and community solar," continued Partyka.
Myles Burnsed, VP Business Development for EDF Renewables Distribution-Scale Power group said, "We are pleased to build on our successful partnership with Standard Solar and support Lehigh University's ambitions to achieve carbon neutrality. We look forward to further opportunities with Standard Solar."
"Lehigh University has a bold, comprehensive plan to become a carbon-neutral institution, one driven by University and Lehigh Valley stakeholders" said Audrey McSain, Sustainability Director at Lehigh University. "This project will play a key role in our strategy, delivering rapid emissions reductions to help meet our ambitious goals. We thank EDF Renewables and Standard Solar for their partnership and look forward to producing clean energy onsite for our community and environment."
About Standard Solar
Standard Solar, a Brookfield Renewable company, is powering the nation's energy transformation - channeling its project development capabilities, financial strength and technical expertise to deliver the benefits of solar and solar + storage to businesses and institutions, farms, governments, communities, and utilities. Building on 18 years of sustainable growth and in-house and tax equity investment capital, Standard Solar is a national leader in developing, funding and long-term ownership and operation of commercial and community solar assets. Recognized as an established financial partner with immediate, deep resources, the company owns and operates more than 300 megawatts of solar across the United States. Standard Solar is based in Rockville, Md. Learn more at standardsolar.com, LinkedIn and Twitter: @StandardSolar. For project acquisition and development inquiries, contact Eric Partyka, Director of Project Development, 443-350-1776, eric.partyka@standardsolar.com and on LinkedIn.
About EDF Renewables North America
EDF Renewables North America is a market leading independent power producer and service provider with 35 years of expertise in renewable energy. The Company delivers grid-scale power: wind (onshore and offshore), solar photovoltaic, and storage projects; distribution-scale power: solar and storage; asset optimization: technical, operational, and commercial expertise to maximize performance of generating projects, and onsite solutions, through the Company's PowerFlex subsidiary, offering a full suite of onsite energy solutions for commercial and industrial customers: solar, storage, EV charging, energy management systems, and microgrids. EDF Renewables' North American portfolio consists of 16 GW of developed projects and 13 GW under service contracts. EDF Renewables North America is a subsidiary of EDF Renewables, the dedicated renewable energy affiliate of the EDF Group. For more information visit: https://www.edf-re.com. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
About Lehigh University
Located in Pennsylvania's beautiful Lehigh Valley, Lehigh University is one of the nation's most distinguished private research universities. Through academic rigor, an entrepreneurial mindset and collaborative opportunities we challenge our students to become the leaders of the future. Learn more at: lehigh.edu.
Contacts
Standard Solar
Leah Wilkinson
Wilkinson + Associates
703-907-0010
leah@wilkinson.associates
EDF Renewables North America
Sandi Briner
858-521-3525
MediaRelations@edf-re.com
Lehigh University
Emily Collins
610-758-3969
ejc220@lehigh.edu
