St. Bonaventure to Benefit From
New Solar Power Project in Olean
St. Bonaventure University will save an estimated $100,000 or more a year on its electric bill thanks to a new solar electric project being developed in Olean. BQ Energy of Poughkeepsie, a leader in developing renewable energy on brownfields and landfills, will construct a pair of 2.7-megawatt solar arrays on a 24-acre portion (Parcel 3) of the Olean Gateway Site off Buffalo Road near Interstate 86. The longtime industrial site has been undergoing a massive cleanup over the past several years to make the land usable again for development. The project, called Solean, is among eight projects in Western New York and 141 in the state receiving support through Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative. “It couldn’t be more of a win-win situation for us,” said Brenda McGee, senior vice president for finance and administration at St. Bonaventure. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with BQ on this clean-energy initiative, which reaffirms our commitment to sustainability and the redu...