Berwyn-Based Company’s New Project Helps Penn State Diversify Its Energy Portfolio

By

Image via Alternative Energy Development Group and Penn State University.

A Berwyn-based company that helps commercial-scale clients reduce their energy demand and supply costs is helping the state’s flagship university diversify its energy portfolio.

A new project by the Alternative Energy Development Group (AEDG) will annually provide 2,500 megawatt-hours of clean, reliable, and affordable solar-generated energy to Penn State’s main campus in University Park.

The Penn State Office of Physical Plant and AEDG recently announced the development of a two-megawatt Advanced Utility-Scale Solar photovoltaic system.

“This installation provides the university with the ability to research and optimize multiple power generation sources on our micro-grid,” said Steve Maruszewski, assistant vice president of the Office of Physical Plant and the lead Penn State project sponsor. “It is a true living lab project that combines operations directly with teaching, research, and outreach.”

The solar project will provide one percent of the campus’s electricity needs.

“We see the new solar farm as an incredible opportunity to understand the impacts of solar development on landscapes and ecosystems, as well as for power production,” said Jeffrey Brownson, associate professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering in the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering.

The array was developed by AEDG, and will be financed, owned, maintained, and operated by AEDG and MVE Capital, Inc. The university has entered into a 25-year, solar-power purchase agreement to purchase 100 percent of the electricity and PA Alternative Energy Credits generated by the solar system for the term of the agreement.

“Throughout the development process, we focused on Penn State’s stakeholder needs, while ensuring a design that would yield safety, performance, and value from the state-of-the-art, utility-scale solar project,” said Chris D. Fraga, founder and CEO of AEDG. “Integrating Penn State’s faculty, staff, and students in the process was both enriching for all and builds upon Penn State’s energy strategy, and we are honored to be part of this exciting Pennsylvania project.”

Click here to read more about the Alternative Energy Development Group’s work at Penn State.

[uam_ad id=”80503″]

.

[uam_ad id=”80502″]

Connect With Your Community

Subscribe to stay informed!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Advertisement
Creative Capital logo