Bucknell University completed a 1.76 peak megawatt solar array, which will supply up to 7% of its electricity. The project with Encore Renewable Energy moves the organization closer to its goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.
“Bucknell has been actively seeking solar opportunities in an effort to achieve goals found in the University’s sustainability plan,” says Bucknell President John Bravman.
In addition, the project will enhance opportunities for renewable-energy focused teaching and research across multiple disciplines. It will also generate property tax revenues to East Buffalo Township; provide Bucknell with price certainty on energy rates for the next several decades; and strengthen the region’s commitment to the production and use of renewable energy.
The array has prime sun exposure and is not close to residential properties. The project consists of south-facing panels tilted at 25 to 30 degrees, with a maximum height of nine feet. The seven-acre array of panels are surrounded with an agricultural fence to ensure safety. The site has also been replanted with pollinator friendly vegetation between the panels to attract bees, butterflies, and other species critical to future food security.
“Completing this solar array has been a long process,” says Jim Knight, Bucknell Project Manager and East Buffalo Township Supervisor. “The clean, renewable energy it contributes to the grid will benefit both the University and the local community. It also provides a great opportunity for student education and research in this rapidly expanding field.”
