Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Ameresco, Holy Cross Energy Team Up for Solar Project on Colorado Campus

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/12/21

Clean technology integrator Ameresco, Inc. has announced a partnership with Holy Cross Energy to build a solar and battery energy storage project on land leased from the Spring Valley Campus of Colorado Mountain College, located in Glenwood Springs, Colo.

The partnership comes under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Ameresco will design, build, and operate the solar facility and sell the output to HCE, helping HCE meet its long-term goal of using renewable resources to source 100% of the power it provides to customers by the year 2030. The terms of the agreement are such that Ameresco will install 4.5MW of solar PV and 15MWH of battery energy storage, according to a news release.

The solar project will stand on the campus of Colorado Mountain College. The facility is expected to save 6,853 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the emissions equivalent of 1,481 passenger vehicles or burning more than 7.5 million pounds of coal. Construction is scheduled for completion within the first three months of 2022.

“One of the extraordinary things about working in this industry is finding and utilizing solutions that work for all of our customers,” said Ameresco’s Executive Vice President, Louis Maltezos. “By eliminating concerns around potential financial barriers and leveraging our deep technical expertise, we can focus on fostering innovative solutions that fit our clients’ needs and benefit the communities they service.”

“Projects like this one will allow HCE to attain our 100x30 clean energy goals while keeping power supply costs low,” agreed HCE President and CEO Bryan Hannegan. “We are honored to be partnering with local organizations such as CMC to develop reliable and resilient energy resources that will benefit all HCE members—even as we assist CMC in meeting its specific sustainability goals.”

“We are so excited to be part of this great venture in solar energy,” said Dr. Heather Exby, Colorado Mountain College Vice President and Spring Valley Campus Dean. “By leasing a portion of our land for the solar array, we will help our community to attain energy independence by use of this renewable, and locally abundant, source. Colorado Mountain College as a whole will also move closer to our goal to be carbon neutral by 2050, as we will be receiving renewable energy credits from Holy Cross Energy that will offset electrical usage at our Spring Valley, Aspen and Edwards campuses.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).