The 150 MW solar facility will help meet the region’s growing electricity demand, supplying enough energy annually equivalent to powering more than 20,000 homes. Sebree Solar II will also contribute more than $15.5 million in new tax revenue over the life of the facility, money that could be used by the county to enhance schools, roads and other essential services.
Coordinated by ERM Coho, the higher education consortium supporting the project with a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) includes Davidson College, Dickinson College, Elon University, Haverford College, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Muhlenberg College, Swarthmore College and Wake Forest University.
Participating in the project will help Wake Forest University achieve its target of climate neutrality by 2040, an institutional goal set in 2020.
“The Sebree Solar II Energy Center builds on our long-term presence in Henderson County and reflects continued investment in the region,” said Lester Morales, senior project manager of development at NextEra Energy Resources. “Projects like this support local economies and contribute to meeting growing energy needs.”
While electricity generated by the Sebree Solar II Energy Center cannot be transmitted directly to the consortium campuses because geographic distance prevents the direct transmission of the electricity, the benefits of investing in new additional renewable energy will still be realized by the schools. Wake Forest University will receive renewable energy credits equal to 100% of the electricity used by its campus, which can be used to account for greenhouse gas emissions related to purchased electricity.
“By working together with a consortium of colleges and universities, we have been able to access a project that is typically only available to larger institutions.”
The nine colleges and universities involved in the project will also receive access to data from the Sebree Solar II Energy Center for classroom use, as well as campus speaking engagements, opportunities for site visits and student internships.
