Energy Storage, Solar  -  July 8, 2020

SUNY Fredonia breaks ground on solar+battery project

Construction began July 7 on a 1.4 MW solar project combined with a 500 kW battery system that will provide electricity and financial savings to the State University of New York at Fredonia.

This will be the campus’ first solar and battery project and will be designed, installed and financed in partnership with Oriden, a Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems venture, and Solar Liberty. The system will provide about 1.7 GWh of energy and offset an average of 432,000 pounds of CO2 each year. The battery storage will allow the university to ensure energy is available during peak demand hours and emergencies.

“This project underscores Fredonia's commitment to environmental stewardship,” Dennis Hefner, SUNY Fredonia Interim President, said in a statement. “The solar array will provide significant long-term financial savings, while also supporting the institutional goal of environmental sustainability as outlined in Fredonia's strategic plan.”

SUNY Fredonia will host the project on the campus and will purchase all energy produced through a PPA. This project is a continuation of SUNY’s Clean Energy Roadmap, announced last year in support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s goal to source 70% of New York’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and be completely carbon-free by 2040.