Thanks to new solar farm subscriptions, Siena now offsets 100 percent of its electricity use.
These contracts are expected to save Siena more than $100,000 annually, totaling millions of dollars in savings over the life of the agreements, while advancing the University’s commitment to environmental stewardship and financial responsibility, according to President Chuck Seifert, Ph.D.
“At Siena University, sustainability is not symbolic. It is a responsibility grounded in our Franciscan values and reflected in how we operate every day,” he said. “This community solar partnership reduces costs, stewards resources wisely, and models for our students and the broader community how environmental leadership and financial responsibility go hand in hand.”
The solar subscriptions – two with Madison Energy and one with Dimension Energy – were brokered by the Illinois-based Community Solar Authority. Each solar farm serves a different base of accounts, ensuring a diversified and resilient energy portfolio. The farms feed clean energy into the utility grid, and Siena receives bill credits tied to its share of solar generation, according to Mike Hickey, MBA, vice president and chief of staff.
He explained that while the power from the solar farms does not flow directly to campus, those credits are applied to the electricity supply Siena secures in the market, creating a consistent discount on our base rate. This approach reduces carbon impact, lowers costs, and stabilizes a portion of energy pricing without requiring on-site capital investment or maintenance.
Siena will be able to remove specific accounts through a flexible notification clause, which will be necessary if Siena opts to do on-site solar installations in the future, said Hickey.
Siena’s long-term energy strategy continues to evolve, with ongoing evaluation of additional opportunities, including potential on-site renewable energy solutions, to further strengthen both environmental stewardship and operational resilience.
Siena’s Board of Trustees articulated a clear vision for sustainability in its March 2024 Resolution on Commitment to Sustainability and Ecological Conversion. The new solar agreements directly support that vision by reducing Siena’s carbon footprint, controlling long-term energy costs, and ensuring reliable energy resources for campus operations.