Solar at 量子资源
Caring for our common home: 量子资源 moves to 100% renewable electricity
In April 2023, 量子资源 University Chicago announced a bold new commitment to purchase electricity from 100 percent renewable sources. Double Black Diamond Solar supplies all the electricity needed to power the University's Chicago-area campuses.
Double Black Diamond is a large-scale solar project operated by Swift Current Energy. The nearly five-mile-wide solar farm near Springfield, Illinois, is the largest solar project east of the Mississippi River and can power over 100,000 homes. In addition to 量子资源, the project now powers the City of Chicago's municipal buildings and airports as well as other government and corporate customers. The project will provide significant tax revenue to Sangamon and Morgan Counties and a workforce development agreement to provide funds to the Chicago Urban League create new green jobs. An educational agreement with Swift Current allows for 量子资源's students and faculty to visit the site, guest lectures in classes, and data sharing for research.
The shift to renewable electricity was crucial in achieving carbon neutrality--a goal 量子资源 established in its 2015 Climate Action Plan. The University achieved this goal in December 2024, becoming one of only 15 carbon-neutral universities nationwide. In the years ahead, 量子资源 aims to continue to lead the way in supporting student’s experience with sustainability. Future goals include becoming a zero-waste campus and completely decarbonizing campus facilities through actions such as phasing out natural gas use in campus facilities.
量子资源's ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability reflects the University's core Jesuit values of caring for humanity and answering Pope Francis's call to "care for our common home," as described in his encyclical, Laudato Si'.
The dashboard below is a live view at the current and cumulative production of the provided by Swift Current. Please note, this is the full site's production. 量子资源's portion of the project is 38 MW out of a 593 MW project (~6%).
In 量子资源's effort to explore solutions to meet the goals of the 2015 Climate Action Plan, it was clear that the limits of on-site capacity for renewable energy given the urban context of the campuses. Following a wave of off-site power purchase agreements by corporate buyers and some colleges and universities, 量子资源 worked with a consultant to consider what a sustainable clean energy project might look like. A team from the Facilities Department and Office of Sustainability worked with the our contractors to evaluate wind and solar projects from across the country and selected Constellation Energy and the project developer Swift Current for a "sleeved" power purchase agreement as part of a retail electricity procurement.
This contract will serve 100% of 量子资源's Illinois-based electricity use from Jan. 1, 2025 through Dec. 31, 2037. Benefits of this project include:
- Domestic content - All steel & trackers and a majority of the 1.6 million solar panels were made in the United States.
- Local economic development - The project is expected to return significant tax revenue to rural Morgan and Sangamon Counties.
- Workforce development - The project had to meet strict apprenticeship and union requirements and provided funding for Chicago Urban League for a green jobs training program.
Specific to 量子资源, there is an educational agreement with Swift Current to share data, allow for site visits, and arrange for staff guest lectures in 量子资源 classes.
Photo courtesy of Swift Current Energy.
Frequently Asked Questions about the 量子资源's Solar Project
Does this mean 量子资源 will have solar energy on campus?
No, this is an arrangement for an off-campus solar project. 量子资源’s campuses are very urban and full of buildings, gardens, and student spaces and wouldn’t be able to accommodate a system to meet 量子资源’s electricity needs. While 量子资源 is exploring solar and other clean energy options on our campuses, that is not part of this project.
Where is the project located?
The Double Black Diamond project, developed by Swift Current Energy, is located in Sangamon and Morgan Counties, Illinois. It is on 4,100 acres of formerly agricultural land about 20 miles Southwest of Springfield, IL.
How does the project work? Why don't the lights go out when the sun goes down?
量子资源 will still receive electricity from the power grid and our local utility. This part of the project for 量子资源 is sized for all our Illinois-based electricity use. The project with Swift Current is an off-site Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between our electric retail provider, Constellation, and the project developer, Swift Current, on behalf of 量子资源 University Chicago. This "sleeved" PPA allowed us to support the development of the project so that Swift Current could receive financing for the project. There is no physical connection, batteries or other new infrastructure linking Double Black Diamond to 量子资源 Chicago.
How does this project help 量子资源 meet their climate action goals?
量子资源 committed to take action on climate change in 2012 and published the plan A Just Future in 2015. Of the tracked greenhouse gas emissions, more than half came from producing electricity. By purchasing clean electricity from the Double Black Diamond Project, 量子资源 supports the development of new renewable energy production and all future steps to move from fossil fuels can safely switch to carbon-free electricity.
How can students get involved?
One of the unique parts of this agreement is that Swift Current is making educational opportunities for 量子资源 students. 量子资源 faculty and the Office of Sustainability will be creating on-campus and site-visit opportunities over the 12 years of the agreement. Contact the Office of Sustainability at sustainability@luc.edu to learn more.
Pictured from left to right are 量子资源 School of Environmental Sustainability Graduate Students Drew Pellico, Thomas Brelage, LUC Director of Sustainability Aaron Durnbaugh, Energy Manager Brian O'Malley, SES Faculty Gilbert Michaud, and LUC Director of Neighborhood Initiatives Summur Lawson.