Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Six Pennsylvania, Two North Carolina Colleges, Universities Help Bring 150 MW Solar Energy Facility Online In Kentucky

Six Pennsylvania and two North Carolina colleges and universities have collaborated to bring the Sebree Solar II Energy Center in Henderson County, Kentucky online.  

The higher education institutions in Pennsylvania supporting the project include Dickson College, Haverford College, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Muhlenberg College and Swarthmore College.

The North Carolina institutions include Davidson College, Elon University and Wake Forest University.

This higher education consortium was coordinated by ERM Coho through a power purchase agreement with the Sebree Solar Energy facility.

A NextEra Energy Resources, LLC subsidiary developed the Sebree Solar II Energy Center that became operational on Aug. 7, 2026.

The 150 MW solar facility will help meet the region’s growing electricity demand, supplying enough energy annually equivalent to powering more than 20,000 homes. 

Sebree Solar II will also contribute more than $15.5 million in new tax revenue over the life of the facility, money that could be used by the county to enhance schools, roads and other essential services.

Dickinson College

Dickinson College will receive renewable energy credits equal to about 65% of the electricity used by our campus, which can be used to account for greenhouse gas emissions related to purchased electricity. 

The remainder is covered with renewable energy credits from a separate power purchasing agreement Dickinson launched in 2019. These projects combined credit for 100% of the college’s purchased electricity.

Participating in the project will help Dickinson College maintain its performance as a carbon-neutral institution. 

Carbon neutrality was established as an institutional goal in 2008, achieved in 2020 and maintained to present as part of Dickinson’s unwavering commitment to sustainability.

Lindsey Lyons, Executive Director of Dickinson’s Center for Sustainability Education shares that “this innovative power purchase agreement helps us continue to move forward on our goals of advancing solar energy for Dickinson and for others. The educational benefits of power purchase agreements provide unique learning opportunities to model to our students and faculty how win/win solutions can be created that benefit both the planet and the economic systems we depend on as an institution. We are grateful to work alongside these other institutions to advance this work in solar energy and higher education.” 

Haverford College

“Haverford’s co-investment in Sebree Solar II means that the College’s annual energy dollars will now add new solar electricity to the grid,” said Vice President and Chief of Staff Jesse Lytle. “Alongside our campus conservation measures, Haverford has worked to reduce its net carbon emissions by about 40% since 2006, even while expanding our enrollment and physical plant over that time period.” 

Lafayette College

"For Lafayette, this partnership supports our commitment to carbon neutrality and our broader climate action goals, while connecting our operational work with the academic and experiential learning opportunities that are central to a Lafayette education. We are pleased to be part of a consortium demonstrating how higher education can contribute to the growth of renewable energy at scale,” says Audra Kahr, Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration at Lafayette College.

Lehigh University

“Lehigh University is now officially offsetting 100% of our electricity use with renewable energy," says Christine E. Cook, senior vice president for finance and administration. “Our involvement in this project brings us closer to achieving key goals in Lehigh’s Climate Action Strategy while delivering hands-on educational opportunities for our students.” 

Muhlenberg College

"Muhlenberg is committed to advancing the common good, and this project is one way we're doing that," said Muhlenberg President Kathleen Harring. "An added benefit is that the learning opportunities this project will provide for our students are innumerable and in keeping with our long legacy of producing lifelong success through an experiential liberal arts education." 

Swarthmore College

“Reaching this operational milestone is a critical step forward in our carbon neutrality journey and moves us closer to achieving our To Zero by Thirty-Five (20X35) commitment. Swarthmore is now able to use renewable energy credits received from this project to account for greenhouse gas emissions related to purchased electricity. By coupling geoexchange with renewable energy, 20X35 will eventually eliminate up to 90% of campus greenhouse gas emissions related to the College’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions.” 

[Posted: October 28, 2026]  PA Environment Digest

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