Ithaca College began construction on a 2.9-megawatt solar array that’s expected to supply about 10 percent of the New York school’s energy needs.

The project received funding through the state’s $1 billion NY-Sun initiative, according to an e-mailed statement Monday from Ithaca College and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The initiative is intended to help the state generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

The array is being built in the town of Seneca, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the Ithaca College campus, and is expected to be complete by the fourth quarter. It will produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 500 homes.

Borrego Solar Systems Inc., Greenwood Energy and OneEnergy Renewables are also involved with the project.