Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  April 12, 2023

Vanderbilt I Solar Farm Begins Operation

Vanderbilt I Solar Farm, a 35-MW solar facility located in Bedford County, Tennessee, began operations and will offset approximately 70% of Vanderbilt University's annual Scope 2 GHG emissions.

The solar facility represents a significant step by Vanderbilt University toward the goal it announced in 2019 to power its campus entirely through renewable energy and become carbon neutral by 2050. 

Vanderbilt I Solar Farm was first announced in 2020 as the first project contracted under TVA’s nationally recognized Green Invest program, which matches demand for green power from diverse commercial, industrial, and institutional customers with new utility-scale solar projects located in the Tennessee Valley.

“The Vanderbilt I Solar Farm not only represents a major step toward our own goals at Vanderbilt, but also provides a model of collaborative, forward-thinking solutions that we hope other higher educational institutions will adopt and replicate across this country,” said Daniel Diermeier, Chancellor of Vanderbilt University, in a statement. “We look forward to the educational and research opportunities this project and our pursuit of carbon neutrality will yield for our faculty and students at Vanderbilt. We thank Silicon Ranch, NES, and TVA for supporting us on this bold journey.”

Nashville-based Silicon Ranch developed and funded the project. The company invested more than $50 million to install the solar farm and will serve as its long-term owner and operator. 

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