Rutgers University in New Jersey has selected DSD Renewables to install 16 solar carport canopies across its campuses, with a total capacity of 14.5 MW.
The initiative aligns with the university’s Climate Action Plan and its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. The project is expected to generate 18 GWh of clean electricity annually and will contribute to the existing solar canopy installations covering 33 acres of the Livingston Campus.
The solar carport canopies will be installed at no upfront cost to the university. The project is financed through a power purchase agreement (PPA) with DSD, which will handle the design, construction, ownership, operation, and maintenance of the solar canopies for 15 years.
Rutgers Division of Institutional Planning and Operations (IP&O) will purchase the generated power at a significantly discounted rate compared to the local utility, DSD says.
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Construction is currently underway in various parking lots across the university’s campuses, with completion expected in late 2023. Once finished, the solar carports will provide shaded parking lot coverage, mitigating urban heat island effects and offering protection from snowfall and precipitation during the winter months. Additionally, the carports will generate clean energy to power university buildings and operations.
“This is an exciting portfolio of projects that will provide Rutgers students across five campuses with access to renewable energy, and will ultimately bring the university closer to its sustainability goals while saving money on electricity,” said Kevin Brooks, Senior Director, Origination at DSD.
DSD Renewables is a commercial and industrial solar developer based in New York. The developer has undertaken solar installation or power purchase projects with customers such as Lowe's stores, AT&T, Six Flags Entertainment and Principal Asset Management.
Late last year, DSD Renewables announced it had secured $155 million debt financing to securitize its C&I solar projects.
