GHG Emissions, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  April 13, 2021

UAlbany adds Rooftop Solar as part of Clean Energy Roadmap

Construction is underway to build a 1.8 MW rooftop solar project at the University at Albany (UAlbany), which will supply 60% of the estimated electricity needed by the campus' new $180 million Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurship Complex (ETEC) and help the structure achieve LEED-Platinum certification.

 “As part of our Climate Action and Sustainability Plan, the University at Albany has committed to an ambitious goal of reducing our carbon footprint by 40 percent by 2030,” said UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez in a statement. “That is why we are proud to partner with the New York Power Authority on this solar project — which will help us reach our goals and mitigate the impact of climate change.”

At the beginning of April, construction began on the Fine Arts Building and seven of the roofs of the Academic Podium, which consists of academic and administrative buildings around a large open courtyard with two fountains. The Academic Podium solar PV project is one of many projects in the comprehensive Energy Master Plan that UAlbany is building to significantly reduce its energy and carbon footprint.

The project also supports the SUNY Clean Energy Roadmap to accelerate progress towards New York State’s goal to procure 70% of the state’s electricity from renewable energy by 2030 and to transition to a carbon-free power grid by 2040.

Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA’s president and CEO said, “The University at Albany is a proven leader in environmental sustainability that serves as a model for other colleges and universities. This unique Podium rooftop project will showcase a creative solar solution that will make a state-of-the-art building even more sustainable while addressing climate change and moving our state closer to achieving its ambitious clean energy goals.”