Colby College at night
COLBY COLLEGE

Driving the future of energy in higher education

GOAL

Continue Colby’s legacy as a national leader of sustainability in higher education.

4thcarbon-neutral college
SOLUTION

Build an on-site 5,505-panel solar installation to power facilities all over campus.

1.9MW clean energy
PROJECT

Making the grade on sustainability

Colby College has a long tradition of environmental stewardship. Our team of experts helped them set a new standard for renewable development with the largest solar project in the state’s history.

Top of its class

Founded in 1813, Colby College is one of the country’s original liberal arts colleges, with progressive environmental programs in place since the early 1970s.

Colby became one of the first carbon-neutral colleges in 2013, earning one of the nation’s highest sustainability ratings, with 10 percent of their energy coming from renewable sources. They turned to us for ways to increase that percentage.

  • 2,000+ studentsPOPULATION
  • 368,000 sq. ft.GREEN SPACES
  • High (10+ MW)ENERGY NEEDS

Smart ideas for a new generation

As one of the nation’s largest solar energy providers, we’re well-versed in customizing solutions to meet business goals as well as environmental standards.

Our team of solar specialists worked with Colby College to develop a state-of-the-art solar installation to provide the school with a cleaner source of power and more certainty over future energy costs. This approach aligns with Colby’s values and existing sustainability initiatives—and the powerful results are highly attractive to its next generation of environmentally conscious students.

Supporting a renewable campus

The 5,505-panel off-site solar project generates 1.9 megawatts annually. To put this figure in context, the average home in the U.S. consumes about 10,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year, while Colby’s solar panels produce 250 times that amount.

All of the power is used on campus, thanks to an underground line that feeds electricity produced by the panels back into the school’s grid.

This collaborative effort benefits students and the surrounding community alike while advancing the college’s clean energy philosophy.

  • 5,505solar panels
  • 1.9 MWclean energy
The off-site project eliminates the need for a rooftop installation, preserving the architectural heritage of the campus.

We built the project on land leased from the college. To help Colby avoid upfront costs, we paid for construction and continue to cover operating and maintenance expenses of the 5,505 solar panels.

A multi-year agreement allows Colby to purchase all electricity at a predetermined rate to save money in the long term and avoid future market volatility. 

    Solar panels
    $0upfront investment
    2.5M kWhannual renewable electricity
    BUSINESS CASE

    Saving money, preserving tradition

    As an early adopter of renewable energy in higher education, Colby College was a natural partner.

    Since the 1990s, the College has generated about 10 percent of its electricity through cogeneration at the steam plant by running boiler exhaust through a turbine. In 2015, it delved into solar energy by installing a 26-killowatt photovoltaic solar project on its alumni center.

    While much smaller than the new solar installation, this first effort gave Colby’s sustainability team an opportunity to appreciate the value of solar technology. With our solution, we enabled the capacity for a 1.9-megawatt photovoltaic energy project. 

      Single solar panel in sunset
      +16%of total energy
      ENERGY FACTS

      Scaling up sustainability

      With this new solar installation, Colby remains one of just a few carbon-neutral universities in the country.

      Our partnership supports Colby College in achieving its sustainability goals and continuing to expand its green spaces. Colby currently has 15 LEED-certified spaces, including two LEED Silver and two LEED Gold, comprising approximately 368,000 square feet—24 percent of Colby’s building area.

      Because of these many efforts, Colby has been a back-to-back champion in the Environmental Protection Agency’s College and University Green Power Challenge, which recognizes standout practices in sustainability.

        Colby College Campus
        15 LEEDcertified spaces
        368Ksq. ft. powered
        SUSTAINABILITY RESULTS

        A champion in its field

        “This project will diversify the College’s energy supply, and adds 2.5 million kilowatt hours of renewable electricity to Maine annually. This serves as another visible sign of Colby’s commitment to sustainability.”
        • Doug TerpVice President and Chief Financial Officer, Colby College

        “We’re proud to have the opportunity to work with Colby College and provide renewable energy solutions to a school that’s already demonstrating an exceptional commitment to sustainability.”

        Robert GaudetteExecutive Vice President, NRG Business

        Focused on you

        Whatever your energy goal, we’re ready to craft the best solution.
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