Stanford University Announces Second Solar Plant, Fully Solar by 2021

Finalizing an agreement with Recurrent Energy for an 88-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant to be constructed in central California, the university has beaten California’s goal of going carbon-free by two decades.

In a major solar push, Stanford University has announced its second solar power plant which will enable the university to go fully solar by late 2021.

Finalizing an agreement with Recurrent Energy for an 88-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant to be constructed in central California, the university has beaten California’s goal of going carbon-free by two decades.

Because of advances from the cutting-edge Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI), Stanford’s current greenhouse gas emissions already are down by 66 percent from peak levels.

The new solar plant, to be known as Stanford Solar Generating Station #2, is projected to reduce GHG emissions even further, to 80 percent below peak levels – four years ahead of the renewable energy goal established in the university’s long-range planning process.

The new station will augment the 67-megawatt Stanford Solar Generating Station #1 in Rosamond, California, which came online in 2016, and 5 megawatts of on-campus rooftop solar power, which came online in 2017.

Together, the three installations will produce enough clean renewable electricity each year to equal the university’s annual electricity consumption, the university said in a release.

“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,” he further added.