New York City's largest solar system goes online

New York city has launched its largest solar installation project – a 3.1 MW solar array – in a move to boost the city’s ambition to source 50% of its electricity from renewables by 2030.

Located on Staten Island, the project comprises 9,000 solar panels and will generate nearly 4 GWh of solar energy each year. The power will be used to offset a large portion of the electricity used by the city’s Fordham University and Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx, north New York, by 20% and 37% respectively.

The ground-mounted system, which sits on 4 hectares of unused industrial land, uses remote-net metering; an arrangement that enables the kilowatt hours generated by solar on one site to offset the electricity needs of customers at a different location. 

The move supports New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s clean energy goal mandating 50% of electricity to come from renewable energy sources by 2030, which is part of the state’s wider Reforming the Energy Vision, which was implemented in 2011.

Since 2011, solar usage in New York state has increased by more than 1,000% and leveraged more than $2.8bn in private investments. Last year New York was ranked the second most energy efficient city in the US by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, one position behind nearby Boston.

As well as solar power, New York state is pushing forward other renewable energy technologies, and has put forward a procurement plan for offshore wind power, aiming to reach the state’s overall goal of 2.4 GW of offshore wind power installed by 2030.

The city has also announced an energy storage roadmap, which has been put in place to guide New York towards having 1,500 MW of energy storage capability installed by 2025. The roadmap outlines short-term recommendations for how energy storage can deliver affordable electricity to New York residents and cost-effectively address the needs and demands of the city’s electricity grid.