Lafayette College partners with NextEra Energy Resources on renewable energy

Easton, Pennsylvania-based Lafayette College said Monday it will be partnering with NextEra Energy Resources and eight other colleges and universities in Pennsylvania and North Carolina on a renewable energy project.

The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) will bring together Lafayette College, Davidson College, Dickinson College, Elon University, Haverford College, Lehigh University, Muhlenberg College, Swarthmore College and Wake Forest University to purchase renewable energy from NextEra for the next 20 years.

The collaboration will see NextEra bring a large-scale solar energy facility online in western Kentucky. The Sebree Solar II project is set to begin construction in early 2025 and commence commercial operation by the end of 2026. The solar site is projected to provide enough energy to power more than 24,000 homes when complete. The solar energy project will offset 100 percent of the electricity usage on campus.

“We’re proud to join this consortium of colleges and universities on this large-scale solar energy project. Together, we’re taking a thoughtful step toward addressing climate issues and creating a more sustainable future,” Nicole Hurd, president of Lafayette College, said. “It also accelerates our goal to reach carbon neutrality on our campus by 2035 as part of our Climate Action Plan.”

The facility will be located near the town of Robards, Kentucky, near the Ohio River. The project will generate up to 150 megawatts of clean, renewable energy.

The electricity generated by the Sebree Solar II project won’t be transmitted directly to the consortium campuses because of the distance, but the benefits of investing in new additional renewable energy will transfer to the schools. Lafayette College will be paying for an amount of energy equal to 100 percent of the electricity used by its campus. In exchange, the school will receive renewable energy credits that can be used to account for greenhouse gas emissions related to purchased electricity. Additionally, the school will get access to data from the Sebree Solar II project for classroom use, as well as site visits and student internships.

“We are pleased to work with Lafayette College and the other institutions to help them achieve their sustainability goals,” Anthony Pedroni, vice president, renewable development and M&A NextEra Energy Resources, said. “This solar energy project will generate homegrown energy and provide millions of dollars in additional tax revenue to Henderson County over the life of the project.”