2021 was a record-breaking year for solar completions in New York. A total of 557 MW of NYSERDA-supported solar capacity was completed across the state in 2021, marking a 39 percent increase on the 402 MW completed in 2020. As seen in the chart below, NYSERDA-supported solar capacity completed in 2021 was significantly higher than in previous years. The growth is particularly staggering when you compare the 2021 figure (557 MW) to the total for 2017 (231 MW).
In total, 11,650 solar projects were completed across all sectors in 2021—an increase of 2,416 on the 9,234 projects completed in 2020. The total capacity of NY-Sun’s current completed projects plus projects in the pipeline is equal to approximately 5.6 GW. This represents almost 95 percent progress towards the goal of 6 GW outlined in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
What is the CLCPA?
The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) is a plan, signed into law in 2019, which sets out some of the most ambitious climate goals in the country. The targets mandated by the CLCPA include:
- 85 percent Reduction in GHG Emissions by 2050
- 100 percent Zero-Emission Electricity by 2040
- 70 percent Renewable Energy by 2030
- 9,000 MW of Offshore Wind by 2035
- 3,000 MW of Energy Storage by 2030
- 6,000 MW of Solar by 2025
- 22 Million Tons of Carbon Reduction through Energy Efficiency & Electrification
NY-Sun Progress So Far
For more than a decade, NY-Sun has been a key factor in the growth of distributed solar across New York. The statistics below outline the impact of the initiative so far, illustrating just how important NY-Sun has been for solar deployment over the past 10 years.
- Installed solar at over 145,000 homes across every county in the state.
- Provided more than $1 billion in solar incentives.
- Leveraged $5.3 billion in private investment.
- Contributed to solar growth of more than 2,100 percent in New York.
- Delivered enough renewable energy to power over 522,000 NY homes.
- Fostered 12,000 solar industry jobs.
- Contributed to the cost of solar decreasing 69 percent in 10 years.
- Committed $30 million to projects benefiting environmental justice and disadvantaged communities.
Since 2011, NY-Sun has supported the completion of 114,000 distributed solar projects. In 2020, New York ranked first in the country for new community solar installations and second for total distributed solar installations.
What is NY-Sun?
NY-Sun is a $1.8 billion initiative from New York State which aims to advance the deployment of solar and move NY towards a sustainable, self-sufficient solar industry. Since the inception of the NY-Sun initiative in 2011, solar in New York State has grown by more than 2,100 percent, with $5.3 billion leveraged in private investments, and the cost of solar decreasing by 69 percent. As of 2022, there are approximately 12,000 people working in solar jobs throughout NY.
What is NYSERDA?
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is a public benefit corporation which offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and support to New Yorkers. The aim of the corporation is to help NY residents increase energy efficiency, save money, adopt renewable energy sources, and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. At its core, NYSERDA is working to protect the environment and create clean energy jobs in NY.
Want to go solar in New York? Get in touch with YSG today. YSG has been operating in the New York solar sector for over a decade, developing everything from small rooftop projects to large-scale solar farms. Whatever your energy needs, we will identify the ideal solar solution and guarantee the best possible savings on your utility bill. Call the office at 212.389.9215 or send us an email to learn how much you could save with solar.
YSG Solar is a project development company responsible for commoditizing energy infrastructure projects. We work with long-term owners and operators to provide clean energy assets with stable, predictable cash flows. YSG's market focus is distributed generation and utility-scale projects located within North America.
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