Scott Ely, owner and founder of engineering and construction contractors Sunsense Solar, discusses a new 4.5 megawatt solar array at Colorado Mountain College’s Spring Valley campus during a tour Wednesday.
John Stroud/Glenwod Springs Post Independent
Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting on a new 4.5-megawatt solar array and battery storage complex at Colorado Mountain College’s Spring Valley campus marked a full circle trip around the sun for local solar installer Scott Ely.
He recalls attending a college solar retrofit program in 1987 before starting his own Carbondale-based company, Sunsense Solar, a few years later.
At the time, CMC was one of the few higher education institutions in the country to pioneer a solar technology program.
Today, a continuation of those early efforts is the college’s bachelor’s degree program in sustainability studies and an overall focus on the environment, including a commitment to become carbon neutral across its 11 campuses by 2050.
“CMC’s vision of 35 years ago is now coming true,” said Ely. According to him, his small company of 30 employees, which has been operating for more than 32 years, is an example of this success.
“This project is definitely one of our biggest accomplishments to date,” he said at CMC-Spring Valley, marking the completion of what will soon be Colorado’s largest solar array and battery storage facility.
Sunsense was selected as the solar engineering and construction contractor through a unique partnership between CMC, local rural electric cooperative Holy Cross Energy, and Framingham, Massachusetts-based solar developer and financing agent Ameresco.
Carbondale nonprofit Clean Energy Economy for the Region facilitated the partnership. Representatives for each of the partners were on hand at Wednesday’s event.
The project consists of more than 13,500 solar modules, including both fixed panels and panels that can track the sun from dawn to dusk, spread across 22 acres of leased CMC land west of the main college campus.
The 4.5 megawatts of generating capacity is enough to offset 100% of the electricity use of 1,000 homes or the three CMC campuses in Spring Valley, Aspen and Edwards in the Holy Cross service area.
The easternmost section of the new Holy Cross Energy/Ameresco solar array on the CMC Spring Valley campus earlier this week.
John Stroud/Glenwod Springs Post Independent
Holy Cross President and CEO Bryan Hannegan said what makes the project particularly unique is its battery energy storage system.
The complex contains 68 battery stacks in four on-site shipping-style containers, allowing five megawatts or 15 megawatt hours of power to be stored for backup during outages and times of peak demand.
“For us, it offers a measure of control and flexibility over solar output that a normal solar array doesn’t have,” Hannegan said. “In a pinch, if there’s a fire nearby or there’s a major system failure, this (storage) system is enough to power the campus and keep people safe and comfortable.”
For at least six months or more, the CMC facility will be the largest of its kind in Colorado. He noted that even larger solar generation and storage projects are moving forward in West Garfield County.
“This is an important part of our collective journey to a clean energy future for both Holy Cross members and CMC and the community college system it supports,” Hannegan said.
In addition to CMC’s goal of carbon neutrality, Holy Cross aims to meet 100% of its members’ energy needs using renewable energy sources by 2030.
“Our goal is to really think more holistically about what it means to provide sustainable energy for the people we serve and work with,” Hannegan said. “It’s not something here, it’s a substance there. It’s actually thinking about how we use things like solar energy and battery storage to power our lives.”
Wednesday’s event included a pre-recorded video message from Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.
“Protecting Colorado’s way of life means doing our part to fight climate change and improve air quality,” Polis said. “Projects like the one we’re celebrating today will make that possible.”
CMC President and CEO Carrie Besnette Hauser added, “This collaboration is a shining example of that ethos as we work together to reduce our carbon emissions and protect these stunning mountain landscapes we all love from the very real threat of climate change.”
A close-up of the east section of solar panels at the new Holy Cross Energy/Ameresco solar and battery storage complex on CMC’s Spring Valley campus.
John Stroud/Glenwod Springs Post Independent
CMC sustainability studies student Lily Leyva was given the honor of cutting the ceremonial ribbon.
“I believe I can speak for all the students here today when I say that we at CMC and partners are excited to be here as we make history,” he said. “As students, we appreciate the networking opportunities and real-world projects you bring to the table.”
The solar array and storage project has been under construction for three years and is about 95% complete. It is expected to go online by the end of the year.