LASALLE — Denver-based renewable-energy power producer Pivot Energy and the University of Colorado Boulder have broken ground for a 5-megawatt direct-current virtual net metering solar project in rural Weld County to support the university’s broader clean-energy goals while advancing its climate action plan.
The Aug. 5 groundbreaking at a site five miles northeast of LaSalle marked the next phase in a partnership first announced in July 2024. Pivot Energy will develop, own and operate the off-site project, which is expected to be completed early next year.
Under a 20-year subscription agreement, CU Boulder will benefit from a virtual net-metering program established by Colorado Senate Bill 21-261 in 2021, which allows the university to subscribe to energy produced off-site and receive credits on its electricity bills along with 100% of the project’s renewable-energy credits. The solar array will also enable CU Boulder to offset its electricity usage and advance its Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions goals 50% by 2030, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The initiative is cost neutral.
“This partnership with Pivot Energy is a powerful example of how CU Boulder is leading with purpose,” Chancellor Justin Schwartz said in a prepared statement. “We’re not just talking about sustainability; we’re building it into the fabric of our operations in ways that are both financially responsible and environmentally impactful.”
Once complete, the project is expected to produce approximately 9.5 million kilowatt-hours of solar energy annually, equivalent to powering more than 850 homes or removing 1,580 passenger cars from the road for one year. Laid end-to-end, the project’s approximate 8,000 solar panels are enough to fill four football fields.
Additionally, agrivoltaics will be integrated into this project. A flock of approximately 100 sheep will provide “lamb-scaping” services on site to manage the vegetation from April through October each year. A local rancher will benefit from additional grazing land at the project site, which will provide a diversified revenue stream for the farm’s operations.
“Pivot Energy is proud to partner with the University of Colorado Boulder on this project and excited to start construction,” Mat Elmore, Pivot’s senior vice president for strategic accounts, said in a news release. “This is a win-win for both Colorado’s largest university and Pivot – helping CU Boulder reach its renewable-energy goals and Pivot accelerate the shift to solar energy throughout the nation.”
