Governor Kathy Hochul has revealed that New York is now the top community solar market in the entire country, having hit the milestone of more than 1 GW of community solar installed and operational. This is enough community solar capacity to serve 209,000 homes across the state—and there is also enough community solar development in the NY pipeline to serve an additional 401,000 homes.
The announcement of this significant milestone in New York solar highlights the state’s progress towards the renewable energy goals mandated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act). 1 GW of community solar is noteworthy in relation to the overall goal of generating 70% of NY's electricity from renewable sources by 2030, as well as Governor Hochul’s target of 10 GW of solar by 2030. In her announcement, Governor Hochul offered the following remarks:
“Reaching this nation-leading milestone — with more than 1 GW of community solar installed — is a testament to New York’s aggressive pursuit of clean-energy alternatives that will supercharge our economy and bring us one step closer to a carbon-neutral future. New York is once again making clean energy history, and with many families facing the burden of rising energy costs, my administration remains committed to expanding access to solar energy, which will deliver savings and stabilize electricity bills while meeting our aggressive climate goals.”
Governor Hochul made this announcement at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new community solar project in Schenectady County. The Schenectady County project, which is located in the town of Glenville on the site of a former landfill, pairs 7.5 MW of community solar with 10 MWh of energy storage. It is owned and operated by DSD Renewables—also the project developer—and is part of a seven-project, 25 MW portfolio being developed thanks to a collaboration with the Schenectady County Solar Energy Consortium. This collaboration will provide over $400,000 in energy savings per year for the municipalities and cities of Schenectady County, while also allowing each municipality to source 100% of its power from renewables.
In 2021, community solar made up 70% of total New York solar installations, with SEIA and Wood Mackenzie’s ‘Solar Market Insight 2021 Year-in-Review’ report placing New York in first position for both all-time community solar installations, and 2021 community solar installations. The 1 GW milestone puts New York ahead of Minnesota (830 MW as of February 2022) in the overall rankings for total installed community solar to date.
NYSERDA’s NY-Sun Program, a $1.8 billion initiative designed to support the increased deployment and accessibility of New York solar, has played a big part in the achievement of this 1 GW milestone. Doreen M. Harris, president and CEO of NYSERDA, offered her thoughts on New York’s community solar progress:
“New York is again setting an example for states across the country on how investing in community solar can bring clean energy into the homes of thousands of families while also moving the state closer to reaching our climate goals. With a massive pipeline still to build, we are charting a path for all New Yorkers to be able to sign up for renewable projects like these to lower their electricity costs and be part of our climate change solution.”
If you’re interested in subscribing to a New York community solar project, reach out to YSG Solar today. YSG will identify the ideal community solar subscription for your needs, guiding you through the entire process from start to finish to ensure the greatest possible savings on your utility bills. Call the office at 212.389.9215 or send us an email to learn how much you could save with NY community 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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