Operations

The 1.6 megawatt podium solar photovoltaic project is finished and operational! It has been a long process for all those involved, but it is with great pride that our university has an onsite renewable energy system that covers nearly all available podium roofs and is the biggest rooftop array in the SUNY system. The process started in October 2018 when the university began working in conjunction with the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to solicit solar developers for the project. Vendor selection, design, and project approvals took nearly two years. In March of 2021, the construction and installation of the solar panels on the podium began, and on January 13, 2022, the system was placed in service and has been operational since. The university entered into a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with the project developer, Capital Hill Solar LLC, who installed the solar panels. They maintain, operate, and control the system, while the university pays them for the electricity generated. From a financial point of view, the cost for electricity from the onsite solar PV system is about the same as the cost of electricity purchased from the grid. However, in addition to getting electricity from the onsite solar PV system, the university is also retaining the Renewable Energy Credits or RECs from the project. These RECs will be retired on behalf of ETEC providing nearly 60% of the building’s electricity. Overall, these solar panels are greatly beneficial to our campus community and our goal towards carbon neutrality. Operations