Niagara University, a private Catholic university in New York, recently powered up a 17-acre state-of-the-art solar array on its Lewiston campus. The $6.2 million, four-megawatt project, completed in partnership with Montante Solar and Pivot Energy, features 7,500 bifacial solar panels, mounted on a smart “tracker” racking that follows the sun throughout the day to maximize energy production.

The project is expected to generate 5.6 million kilowatt-hours of renewable power annually, enough to power approximately 500 homes.

“This solar array represents another major step forward in Niagara University’s commitment to preserve and protect our environment,” said the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., president of Niagara University, the only private school from Western New York included in the 2025 edition of The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges. “Our Catholic and Vincentian mission calls us to recognize our responsibility to address ecological challenges and conserve our natural resources to ensure that everyone has access to a safe, healthy, and sustainable environment. Our partnership with Montante Solar and Pivot Energy supports the work we are doing as a leader in environmental stewardship.”

Coupled with the university’s NYPA hydropower supply, the solar project allows Niagara University’s electric consumption to become 100% carbon neutral. The solar array was developed and built by Montante Solar, a full-service developer and installer of commercial and industrial solar energy systems, who worked with the university to strategically integrate the project into the campus.

“We are here to celebrate Niagara University’s transformative step toward sustainability, not just for the campus, but for our entire community,” said Daniel Montante, president of Montante Solar. “The project, sited on the campus’ southern entrance, serves as a visible testament to the university’s dedication to empowering future generations to learn, innovate, and lead.”

Pivot Energy, a national renewable energy company and independent power producer, owns and operates the array, which is projected to offset CO2 emissions by around 40,000 tons over the first decade and marks a significant step toward a greener campus.

“Pivot Energy is pleased to support Niagara University’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality,” said Gordon Woodcock, director of project development for Pivot Energy. “As a certified B corporation (a company that has voluntarily met the highest standards for social and environmental performance), we are committed to making a positive impact on society. Through this partnership with Niagara, we are collaborating with an institution dedicated to sustainability and improving its community.”

Beyond its renewable energy contributions, the solar project will serve as a vital educational resource for students in the university’s biology and environmental sciences programs, who will use the array as a working laboratory and gain hands-on learning experiences and research opportunities. The integration of pollinator habitats beneath the array further aligns with the university’s commitment to biodiversity and sustainability, offering additional avenues for ecological study and conservation efforts.

The solar array is the most recent initiative Niagara has undertaken toward its goal of carbon neutrality. Other projects have included planting hundreds of trees on campus; the construction of its LEED Gold-certified, 50,000-square-foot integrated science center; the use of solar panels and live plants on roofs; the installation of four electric car-charging stations on campus; and a campus-wide conversion to LED lighting, an initiative that decreased electric consumption for lighting by more than 50%. In addition, Niagara hosts an annual paint recycling event in partnership with the Niagara County Division of Environmental/Solid Waste and GreenSheen, a paint company that refines recycled paint to create a premium latex paint from the content.

Niagara University has been listed in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges annually for more than a decade. In 2019, the university was honored by the Niagara USA Chamber with its “Green Initiative Award.”

This article originally appeared on the NU News website and was republished with permission.

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