NYC Solar Partnership

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Through NYC One City Built to Last, the NYC Solar Partnership goals include:

Continuing to Reduce Costs of Installing Solar in NYC

Assisting with Targeted Community Shared Resilient Solar Projects

Promoting Group Purchasing of Solar Power – NYC Solarize

BACKGROUND

New York City has been actively engaged in solar initiatives since 2005, when the City University of New York (CUNY) launched the Million Solar Roofs Initiative (MSRI) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

In 2006 Sustainable CUNY formed the NYC Solar Partnership, leading the Mayor’s Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability (OLTPS), the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the City University of New York (CUNY) in developing and implementing comprehensive plans for large-scale solar integration and associated economic development in New York City. This strategic approach has resulted in multiple U.S. DOE grant awards, which Sustainable CUNY implements on behalf of NYC, in collaboration with over 40 key partners.

In addition to the Department of Energy, funding partners include the New York Energy Research and Development Authority, the New York Power Authority, the Mayor's Office of New York and Consolidated Edison.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY INITIATIVES

2015-2017

Smart DG Hub - Resilient Solar Project

2013-2015

SunShot Initiative Rooftop Solar Challenge II

2012

SunShot Initiative Rooftop Solar Challenge I

2010

ARRA ‘Special Projects’

2006

Solar America City

2005

Million Solar Roofs

ONE CITY PROGRAM

Solar energy complements energy efficiency by providing a renewable energy source to power building systems and reducing grid dependency. The City’s goal is to increase our solar power capacity by 250 MW over the next ten years on privately-owned properties. Expanding the NYC Solar Partnership provides a platform to coordinate solar programs and streamline processes to sustain the local solar industry’s growth, expand equitable access to solar power, and promote community-shared and group purchasing of solar power.

New York’s solar energy market is growing. Solar generating capacity has increased from less than one megawatt (MW) in 2006 to over 30 MW today. Numerous solar installation companies have also set up shop in the city, creating hundreds of jobs and attracting investments of $200 million in the industry.Over the next decade, the City will aim to increase the development of more than 250 MW of solar energy on rooftops and in communities across New York City. The City supports the NYC Solar Partnership in their efforts to continue to reduce market barriers for investing in solar power, attracting solar energy companies to the city, and increasing solar energy production capacity. This includes providing assistance with permitting for solar installations, coordinating solar projects between City-owned properties and other entities, connecting installers and their customers to financing and incentive opportunities, and providing installers, businesses, and residents with educational resources to help accelerate investments in solar power.

In addition to these services, the expanded NYC Solar Partnership will focus on increasing the resiliency of communities by identifying and coordinating opportunities for targeted installations of solar power with battery backup storage. The NYC Solar Partnership will also expand solar access to ensure it is more equitably distributed by targeting additional assistance for communities that have historically had limited access due to financial hardship, technical constraints, or other reasons. This includes scaling up innovative solar programs, including community-based group purchasing and shared solar programs, which would provide more New Yorkers with the opportunity to benefit from this renewable energy source.

NYC SOLAR PLATFORM

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