On 1,600 acres in Fulton and Franklin counties in central Pennsylvania sit two solar arrays. Comprising more than 485,000 panels, these make up the largest solar project in the Commonwealth, with a capacity of 220 megawatts. As of December, the Great Cove I and II facilities are operational, putting the University of Pennsylvania one massive step closer toward its goal of 100% carbon neutrality by 2042.
Penn will purchase all electricity produced at the facilities, the equivalent of 70% of the demand of its campus and University of Pennsylvania Health System facilities in the Philadelphia area. This stems from a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) the University signed in February of 2020 with Community Energy, since acquired by Virginia-based global energy company The AES Corporation. Construction on the project began in April of 2022.
“I couldn’t be prouder that we’ve made such rapid, milestone progress toward carbon neutrality, not only for Penn but for the city of Philadelphia,” Interim President J. Larry Jameson said at a ceremonial ribbon cutting celebrating the PPA and the solar facilities operation during Energy Week. He added that with the University’s strategic framework, In Principle and Practice, “we’re taking on the greatest challenges of our time, and at the top of that list is climate change and sustainability.”
The University considered purchasing 50% of its electric load but later increased the amount to 70%, said Faramarz Vakili, executive director of operations and maintenance at FRES.
In 2019, after receiving plans from 30 developers, Ben Suplick, Penn’s director of engineering and energy planning and co-chair of ESAC’s utilities and operations subcommittee, said FRES narrowed it down to three companies, eventually landing on Community Energy, now AES. “The main drivers were location, cost, and our confidence in the project being able to be built,” Suplick said.
Pre-panel construction occurred from April 2022 to May 2023, ahead of solar panel installation from last May to December, and then the substation interconnection and testing occurred in November.
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Photo Credit: istock-simplycreativephotography
Categories: Pennsylvania, Energy