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Eastern University Makes Seven-Year Commitment to 100% Clean Energy

Joins Supporters of Keystone Solar to Help Build the Largest Solar Project in PA

(Radnor, PA, February 1, 2012) – Eastern University is partnering with Community Energy on the largest solar project in Pennsylvania through a seven-year commitment to 100% clean energy for the campus.  Community Energy will supply a portion of the clean energy generation from the Keystone Solar Project that Community Energy plans to build this year in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Long term commitments to purchase Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), such as the one made by Eastern University, enable new solar development and with this agreement Eastern University has made a substantial seven-year commitment to solar in PA.  Eastern University has been purchasing 100% of their electricity from wind energy RECs since 2006 and has now committed to 100% clean energy through at least 2018, making Eastern University the most recent signer of the 5-year Renewable Energy Pledge launched by the Renewable Energy Markets Association and clean energy purchasers across the country in late 2011.

“We are excited to continue to work with Community Energy to realize the promise of renewable energy for Pennsylvania.  The entire Eastern University community, from students to faculty, staff and administration, understands that Renewable energy is critical for our future. Eastern University is pleased to be taking this step to support the largest solar project in the state,” said David Black, President of Eastern University.

The Keystone Solar Project is a 6 megawatt (DC) ground-mounted solar project that will produce approximately 7,500 MWh of electricity annually, the equivalent of powering 950 homes or avoiding 4,200 tons of carbon dioxide each year. Community Energy is the developer of the Keystone Solar Project and is working in partnership with Exelon Generation, the wholesale off-taker on the project.  Eastern University joins Clean Air Council and Franklin & Marshall College as a project sponsor.

“Eastern University has been a champion of renewable energy for many years.  They have been purchasing wind power from Community Energy since 2006 and installed a solar system on campus with us in 2009.  We are now expanding our partnership to support the development of large scale solar in Pennsylvania.  We are proud to work with such a visionary and forward-thinking academic institution,” said Jay Carlis, Vice President of Community Energy.

About Community Energy, Inc.
Community Energy, Inc. (CEI) has been leading renewable energy development since its founding in 1999.  By launching the market for direct sales of renewable energy to retail electric customers, CEI first leveraged electric choice to build demand for new renewable projects, and went on to deliver wind energy at significant scale.  In 2009, CEI expanded into solar project development, focusing on solar generation at both utility and customer scale in advancing solar markets.  CEI continues to lead the industry by offering the full economic and environmental advantages of solar and wind energy to its array of customers and utility partners. Company projects include the Bear Creek Wind Farm, a 24 megawatt project in built in 2006 in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains and a 7.8 megawatt Vineland Solar Project in the City of Vineland, NJ.   For more information, visit www.CommunityEnergyInc.com.

About Eastern University
Eastern is a Philadelphia Christian university that transforms its students' lives. It prepares and inspires them to go out and make a difference in their communities and the world. All education at Eastern is rooted in its core values of faith, reason and justice. The main campus is located at 1300 Eagle Road in St. Davids, PA. Eastern enrolls about 4,000 students in its undergraduate, graduate, Seminary, professional, urban and international programs. Visit www.eastern.edu.

Contacts: 
Jay Carlis        
(610) 230-0378
Jay.Carlis@CommunityEnergyInc.com

Bettie Ann Brigham
(610) 341-5823
bbrigham@eastern.edu