Ameresco Brings Rooftop Solar to Community College of Philadelphia’s Campuses, Reducing Grid Dependency
On-site energy infrastructure developer Ameresco is installing new solar rooftops at two Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) campuses.
The installation of new solar arrays by Ameresco at both CCP’s main campus in Philadelphia’s Spring Garden neighborhood and its Northeast Regional Center campus will provide on-site energy generation, reducing grid power dependency. Construction on CCP’s rooftop projects is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
It’s part of the college’s long-term sustainability goals supported by Pennsylvania’s Solar for Schools grant program, according to a release.
“Higher education institutions have an important role to play in advancing renewable energy, and Community College of Philadelphia is doing exactly that,” said Louis Maltezos, co-president of Ameresco, in a statement.
Established in 2024, the Solar for Schools program, known as the Solar for Schools Act, assists Pennsylvania educational institutions in minimizing their utility expenditures. By lowering operational overhead, the initiative helps educational hubs redirect funding to advance science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
Through compliance with the state’s framework for energy performance contracts, this direct ownership model will fund up to 50% of the project, with CCP covering the remaining project costs. Both Ameresco and CCP have chosen to keep the exact financial contract value and state grant allotment confidential.
The state grant ceiling caps individual community college grants at $500,000 or 50% of total project costs (whichever is less), according to 2024 Act 68. Notably, participation in this program puts CCP at the center of the state’s push to expand renewable energy at educational institutions statewide.
“This project is an important step in our work to build a more sustainable and resilient campus for our students and the broader community,” said Tim Trzaska, director of construction management at CCP.
Ameresco has recently completed work at several universities across the U.S. These include Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where Ameresco upgraded the school’s entire energy system as part of a $14.5 million project.
Additionally, atop Northeastern University's Snell Library in Boston, an on-grid, 157 kW solar rooftop helped modernize the campus’s energy infrastructure, achieving key decarbonization objectives.