HBCU Clean Energy Initiative

Advancing HBCUs Solar Access, Reliability, System Workflow, and Performance with AI-Driven Insights

HBCU SolarEdge is a research and development initiative created in collaboration with Brookhaven National Laboratory to build an AI-assisted solar planning model that helps Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) identify where to place solar infrastructure for maximum impact. The project addresses a critical gap: while many HBCUs are interested in solar adoption, they often lack the technical capacity and planning tools needed to evaluate feasibility, compare sites, and make data-driven investment decisions.

An AI Planning Tool Designed for HBCU Decision-Makers

At the core of HBCU SolarEdge is an AI-enabled decision-support workflow that allows campus users to select candidate locations—including rooftops, parking structures, open land, and nearby partner properties—through a GIS-based interface. For each selected site, the model generates optimized recommendations for solar orientation (tilt and azimuth) and estimates expected annual energy production, enabling institutions to compare scenarios and prioritize high-value solar investments without requiring advanced engineering expertise.

How the Model Works

The model integrates pvlib-based solar simulation with historical weather data to estimate energy output across candidate sites. Solar orientation is treated as an optimization problem using a two-stage approach that combines a coarse grid search with continuous refinement to identify optimal configurations. This approach balances computational efficiency with accuracy, making the tool scalable for campus-wide and multi-site planning.

Grounded in HBCU Context

To ensure institutional relevance, the project developed an HBCU Campus Energy Dataset informed by engagement with 77 HBCUs, capturing information on energy infrastructure, solar adoption status, staffing capacity, and implementation barriers. These insights directly inform tool design, ensuring the model aligns with the operational realities and decision-making needs of HBCU campuses.

Planning Beyond Campus Boundaries

HBCU SolarEdge also incorporates spatial analysis that identifies potential solar opportunities on and near campus using buffer-based GIS mapping (e.g., 1 km, 5 km, 10 km, 25 km). This enables institutions to explore shared or community solar opportunities, partnerships, and phased expansion strategies.