The new solar generating plant, to be located on over 400 acres near Lemoore, in Kings County, California, is scheduled to go online in late 2021. This PV project, together with Stanford University’s existing 67 MWp solar PPA and its 5 MWp rooftop installation, will enable the university to use 100 percent renewable electricity in three years, more than two decades ahead of California’s goal of a carbon-free grid by 2045.
“As a university, we are pursuing an ambitious plan to further reduce our carbon footprint, and our second solar plant is a critical new component of that plan,” said Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne. “Sustainability is a major focus for Stanford and a priority for our local community. Completing our transition to clean power builds on the groundbreaking research of Stanford faculty and students, and it marks a major advance in our efforts to provide a sustainable learning environment for our campus.”
“This power purchase agreement with Stanford University demonstrates Recurrent Energy’s ability to work with a diversified customer base in California and across the U.S.,” said Dr. Shawn Qu, chairman and chief executive officer of Canadian Solar, Recurrent Energy's parent company. “We feel honored to help Stanford University achieve its goal to source 100 percent of its campus’ electricity from renewable energy.”
As it continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the university is studying additional innovations, including a new lake water heat-exchange system that will provide additional clean heat supply through SESI, converting the remaining outlying campus buildings that currently use natural gas for heating to the SESI clean hot water supply system, and completing conversion of the Marguerite, Stanford’s free community shuttle bus fleet, to electricity.
