$54 Million For New York State Solar Projects

July 11th, 2013 by Jake Richardson

Sixty-four megawatts of solar power will be added to New York state’s current solar capacity. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative will receive $54 million for 79 new solar energy installations in 26 counties across the state. Most of the sites are expected to have their new solar technology up and running by June of next year. Several might actually be operational by December of 2013. The sites will all be at large institutions, and businesses such as factories, city buildings and universities.

Image Credit: UpstateNYer

“Not only will these projects benefit our environment by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and using renewable energy, but they are also creating well-paying jobs for New Yorkers. These are necessary investments for a bright future in our state,” explained Governor Cuomo. (Source: NY press release)

Some of the potential sites listed in the Governor’s press release are:

Rochester Institute of Technology

Wegmans Food Markets corporate headquarters

Raymour & Flanigan stores in Suffern, Rockland County

College Point in Queens

Clarkson University

Cornell University

Cummins Inc.’s Jamestown Engine Plant

The New York Sun Initiative is a public-private partnership that has been rapidly growing PV solar in the state. The New York Solar Bill (A.5060b/S.2522) would extend the NY Sun Initiative through 2023. Powering 400,000 New York homes with solar energy is the goal of this bill. Thirty percent of New York’s energy is required by the Renewable Energy Standard to come from renewable sources by 2015. According to NY Solar Jobs there are over 340 companies working in New York state in the solar industry.

Niagara is the largest electricity producer in New York state. Most of New York’s renewable energy is generated by hydro power.

A recent study found that the state could be entirely powered by wind, sun and water. New York has more installed solar energy capacity than Florida, even though it is obviously much further north. Perhaps if a northern state can ramp up its solar energy, it can serve as an example to some of the southern states that have ample sunshine but still lag behind.

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Tags: New York, new york solar

About the Author

Jake Richardson Hello, I have been writing online for some time, and enjoy the outdoors. If you like, you can follow me on Google Plus.

JamesWimberley

A policy purist would say that government should not get into the business of putting panels on business roofs, and like the German government should concentrate on getting the incentives right. New York State should concentrate on the ample roofspace of its publicly owned schools, university campuses and the like. IKEA and Walmart can probably strike better deals through the sort of streamlined purchasing that public bodies can’t manage because of the elaborate procedures needed to protect taxpayers from abuse. Even on public facilities, it may make sense to privatise the installation, though New York is big enough to make this optional.

Still, even slightly inefficient state action is much, much better than doing nothing as in the Old South.
- Bob_Wallace
  
  The major responsibility of any government is to protect its citizens. (Yes, many fail, but that’s a different discussion.)
  
  Citizens are being hurt by the pollution caused by burning coal. The government can’t simply close all coal plants, it would cause the economy to crash.
  
  The workable solution is for the government to get involved in installing clean electricity generation which will allow coal to be phased out.
  
  This is the connection that most “policy purists” fail to understand. It’s really no different than the government getting involved in creating a new vaccine to combat an emerging disease. Some private companies will profit in the process, but overall citizens will be well served.
  - JamesWimberley
    
    You miss my point. Of course government should create the incentives needed for the energy transition. But for execution, by and large trust the market. The German government – responsible for the world’s most successful renewables policy – does not instal solar panels and wind turbines itself.
    - Bob_Wallace
      
      I agree, in general.
      
      Private industry is likely to be more innovative and faster to adapt than government organizations. Competition is likely drive down cost and improve quality when market forces are allowed to work.
      
      But that does not mean we should trust the market. We should watch it like a hawk, otherwise the greediest will screw us.