New BuildSolar Farm 1.0
The Solar Farm produces an approximately 7,200 megawatt-hours (MWh) annually or approximately two percent of the annual electrical demand.
The University of Illinois Board of Trustees approved the construction of a 20.8-acre solar farm in November 2012. Located along the south side of Windsor Road between First Street and the railroad tracks, Solar Farm 1.0 has been operational since December 11, 2015.
Phoenix Solar South Farms, LLC, was hired by the university in 2015 to design, build, and operate the Solar Farm at the Windsor Road site. The Solar Farm produces approximately 7,200 megawatt-hours (MWh) annually, or around 2 percent of the annual electrical demand for the Urbana campus, making this site one of the largest university solar arrays in the country.
The university signed a 10-year power purchase agreement with Phoenix Solar to purchase all electricity produced by the Solar Farm and deliver it directly to the campus grid. In addition, the university will own/receive all current and future Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and emission credits associated with energy from the 4.68 megawatt (MWac) Solar Farm.
Research estimates the Solar Farm will generate up to 91 percent of its original output even in year 20 of the project.
A Solar Farm Dashboard by AlsoEnergy provides hourly information on the solar array’s renewable energy production and impact on campus and solar data for research and education.
