University of Arkansas signs PPA for 5.1-MW solar array

• Over the following 25 years, the University of Arkansas is expected to save millions of dollars in electrical energy expenses and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8.8% due to a new solar services agreement that was signed by UA System President Donald Bobbit on July 18th.

The solar project will be set up on 25 acres off campus and also is expected to be completed by Q1 2024.

" This is part of an ongoing campus method to be both fiscally as well as environmentally conscious with every one of our projects including our mixed heat and also power plant, Energy Savings Performance Contracts, and also United State Green Building Council accredited facilities" said Scott Turley, associate vice chancellor of facilities.

After a competitive option process, the university selected Entegrity Energy Partners of Little Rock to facilitate the project. Entegrity will give all funding prices, layout, permitting, installation, utility affiliation, procedures and also upkeep of the solar array and give energy as a solution to the U of A campus.

The campus will certainly purchase the entire energy output of the array at a specified rate over the 25-year contract term. The facility has a minimal guaranteed manufacturing of 8,688,880 kWh in the very first year which is approximately 6.3% of the campus electrical energy requirement.

In 2007, the U of A turned into one of the very first organizations to become a charter signature of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment and establish the goal of internet carbon nonpartisanship by 2040. The university as reinforced this position by urging a lot more hostile government carbon reduction objectives. The university is working to reduce its carbon footprint with a mix of sustainable building methods, energy performance upgrades as well as sustainable commuter transport alternatives.

" The U of A is leading by example," said Eric Boles, director of the Office for Sustainability. "Basically, this project saves money, lowers risk, as well as decreases ecological influence. We are thrilled to inform this tale as well as motivate others to look past business customarily."

The University of Arkansas is actively going after additional renewable energy development opportunities as part of the continuous effort to minimize economic risk while being an environmentally responsible campus.