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St. Lawrence University to get nearly all its power from renewable sources by next summer

Posted 10/2/15

CANTON -- St. Lawrence University has entered into two long-term agreements that will provide about half of the school’s electrical power needs with renewable energy. Together with their clean …

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St. Lawrence University to get nearly all its power from renewable sources by next summer

Posted

CANTON -- St. Lawrence University has entered into two long-term agreements that will provide about half of the school’s electrical power needs with renewable energy.

Together with their clean energy offset purchase program already in place, these agreements will ensure that nearly 100 percent of St. Lawrence University’s electricity will come from clean sources by summer of 2016.

“Several years ago, the University made a commitment to strengthening its environmental stewardship,” said President William L. Fox. “The hydro and solar agreements we have committed to are one more step by St. Lawrence on that important journey.”

St. Lawrence finalized a long-term operating agreement for clean hydroelectric power with Gravity Renewables, providing power generated at the Kings Falls small hydro facility in Lewis County. The facility, which is expected to provide the campus with the equivalent of 4.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, is anticipated to become operational in late 2015.

SLU has also entered into a long-term agreement with California-based SunEdison, Inc., the largest global renewable energy development company, which is planning to build a greenfield solar array in Oneida County. The facility, expected to become operational next summer, would provide the campus with the equivalent of 3.35 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year.

“Gravity and SunEdison are terrific partners,” said Dan Seaman, chief facilities officer for St. Lawrence, “and their production facility designs are expected to provide a steady, reliable source of clean electrical power for many years to come.”

Operationally, both clean energy facilities will provide their electricity directly to the grid. Through monetary remote net metering, or MRNM, the economic benefits of the transactions are transferred back to St. Lawrence via its utility bill. The annual savings is expected to average one-fifth of the university’s current electrical utility expense.

Beginning in July 2015, St. Lawrence began purchasing 50 percent of its electricity as certified renewable wind energy credits through its supplier. When both the hydro and solar facilities come online, approximately 95 percent of St. Lawrence’s electrical supply will be considered from clean energy sources.