JUNO BEACH, Fla., June 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, through an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary, and Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3), one of 64-member institutions of the State University of New York system, announced the completion of a 2.6 MW solar system on the main college campus in Dryden, New York. The system, installed on approximately 10 acres, is expected to meet 90 percent of the college's electricity needs.
"We're proud to support TC3's goals to be more energy efficient and to save money that can be applied to programs for students," said Matt Handel, vice president of development for NextEra Energy Resources. "By putting a piece of their underutilized land to work generating clean solar energy, TC3 will receive competitively priced electricity at no up-front cost."
The ground-mounted fixed-array system is composed of 8,676 solar modules. TC3 will purchase the electricity from the solar project over the term of a 25-year power purchase agreement. The project, which is owned and operated by a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, began generating electricity in May 2015. TC3 projections anticipate first-year savings of approximately $30,000, with potential further savings through the years if traditional utility rates increase.
"We're happy to be able to meet such a large percentage of our energy needs through this solar project," said James Turner, director of facilities for TC3. "As a college we are committed to doing what we can to help the environment, both by our teaching and by our actions. This project, along with other energy-saving and environment-improving efforts already underway on campus, is a significant step both for the college and the entire community."
Support for this project came from Governor Cuomo's NY-Sun initiative, which is administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). NY-Sun is a $1 billion initiative to advance the scale-up of solar and move the state closer to having a sustainable, self-sufficient solar industry.
About NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources, LLC (together with its affiliated entities, "NextEra Energy Resources"), is a clean energy leader and is one of the largest wholesale generators of electric power in the U.S., with approximately 19,777 megawatts of generating capacity, which includes megawatts associated with noncontrolling interests related to NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP), primarily in 25 states and Canada as of year-end 2014. NextEra Energy Resources, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. The business operates clean, emissions-free nuclear power generation facilities in New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin as part of the NextEra Energy nuclear fleet, which is one of the largest in the United States. NextEra Energy Resources, LLC is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit www.NextEraEnergyResources.com.
About Tompkins Cortland Community College
Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) is one of 30 community colleges and 64 campuses in the State University of New York system. Located in Dryden, the College serves more than three thousand students in credit programs and another three thousand in non-credit workshops and customized training. The College offers degrees and certificates in over 40 academic programs in areas such as include nursing, business administration, criminal justice, sport management, culinary arts, sustainable farming and food systems, wine marketing, and liberal arts. The College attracts a diverse student body from all over New York State, several other U.S. states, and nearly 70 countries. About half of the college's graduates transfer as juniors to bachelor's degree programs at a wide variety of colleges and universities around the world. For more information, visit TC3.edu.
About NYSERDA
NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation, offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and funding to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA professionals work to protect our environment and create clean-energy jobs. NYSERDA has been developing partnerships to advance innovative energy solutions in New York since 1975. To learn more about NYSERDA's programs and funding opportunities, visit http://nyserda.ny.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram.
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SOURCE NextEra Energy Resources, LLC