1.25 Megawatt Photovoltaic Solar Array to be Installed at West Campus

August 27, 2014

Riders on the Metro-North train will soon be able to catch a glimpse of Yale’s expanding on-campus renewable energy portfolio. In partnership with a renewable energy firm, the University is installing an array of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels that will occupy over 350,000 square-feet of roof space at West Campus.

This 1.25 megawatt solar project is part of Yale’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand on-site renewable energy generation on its campuses.

The system will not only increase Yale’s on-site renewable energy generation by a factor of eight, but will also generate approximately 1.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, equal to the electricity used by about 170 Connecticut homes each year. This will also translate to offsets of more than 500 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is roughly equal to taking 105 passenger cars off the road.

 “The West Campus building is an ideal location for an installation of this size,” said Director of Yale’s Office of Sustainability Virginia Chapman. “We are excited about what this project represents for the University, our Strategic Plan goals, and the future of renewable energy partnerships at Yale.”   

The renewable energy vendor will own, design, install, and operate the system while Yale will commit to purchasing the electricity and the associated Renewable Energy Certificates for 20 years.

Yale is actively exploring other opportunities to implement renewable energy systems on and off its campuses. For example, the University is partnering with the State of Connecticut’s Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority to encourage university employees to install residential solar PV systems on their homes through the “Solarize U” program.

Yale expects solar and other renewables to become more visible to the Yale community in the coming years. The University’s decision to install a solar PV system demonstrates Yale’s commitment to a cleaner energy future.