Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Macalester College Goes 100 Percent Solar And Saves Millions Of Dollars

  • 04/27/15

Macalester CollegeBELMONT, CA — SunEdison, Inc., the world's largest renewable energy development company, has announced that it has signed an agreement with Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN, to offset 100 percent of the college’s electricity use with solar energy. Macalester College will save millions of dollars on electricity costs over the 25-year agreement by purchasing a share of output from SunEdison's community solar gardens.

The SunEdison community solar gardens program enables customers to receive a share of electricity output from a locally sited community solar system. Each month, the customer receives credits on their electricity bill — up to 120 percent of their electricity usage. At the end of the year, the customer will receive payment from the utility for any excess credits that have not been used.

“We're excited to be working with Macalester College, one of the first colleges to participate in SunEdison's community solar gardens program,” says Sam Youneszadeh, managing director of Distributed Generation Western USA at SunEdison. “Our solar garden program allows customers to enjoy the benefits of solar even when they are unable to install solar systems on their property. We expect to see more schools, colleges and universities follow Macalester College’s lead and take advantage of the solar gardens program in the near future.”

“We are happy to partner with SunEdison and participate in the community solar gardens program,” says Macalester College vice president for Finance and Administration David Wheaton. “Macalester has a long history of commitment to environmental and energy initiatives. This agreement furthers our campus sustainability goals and is a financially responsible initiative for Macalester. Given our projected consumption patterns and the expected rising trend in electricity rates over the period of the agreement, we believe that the savings over the term of the agreement could be in the millions of dollars. Those savings will begin as soon as the solar gardens are operational and will benefit both current and future students.”

SunEdison plans to begin construction of the community solar gardens in 2015 and begin commercial operation in 2016. This project is on the Call Right Projects List for TerraForm Power, Inc., a global owner and operator of clean-energy power plants. SunEdison anticipates offering this project to TerraForm Power for investment upon completion. Operation and maintenance of the solar power plants will be performed by SunEdison Services, which provides global 24/7 asset management, monitoring and reporting services.

About SunEdison
SunEdison is the world’s largest renewable energy development company and is transforming the way energy is generated, distributed and owned around the globe. The company manufactures solar technology and develops, finances, installs, owns and operates wind and solar power plants, delivering predictably priced electricity to its residential, commercial, government and utility customers. SunEdison provides asset management, operations and maintenance, monitoring and reporting services for its renewable energy customers around the world. Corporate headquarters are in the U.S., with additional offices around the world. To learn more, visit www.sunedison.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements, including: we believe that the savings over the term of the agreement could be in the millions of dollars; SunEdison plans to begin construction of the community solar gardens in 2015 and begin commercial operation in 2016 and SunEdison anticipates offering this project to TerraForm Power for investment upon completion. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include changes in applicable regulatory requirements and incentives for production of solar power; and general business and economic conditions, including seasonality of the industry, and other risks described in SunEdison's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent SunEdison's judgment as of the date of this press release. SunEdison disclaim, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Featured

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.