NYC Solar & Storage Partnership
In 2006 solar production was negligible in NYC due to extensive barriers including technical and policy, as well as a lack of incentives, standardization or cohesion among agencies and utilities.
Sustainable CUNY, as an objective and trusted university, initially formed the NYC Solar Partnership in 2006, working collaboratively with the New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) in developing and implementing comprehensive plans for large-scale solar integration and the associated economic development in New York City. After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, energy storage was added to the program in order to support a more resilient grid.
Focus Areas
NYC Solar & Storage Ombudsmen
The City funds the NYC Solar & Storage Partnership in its efforts to continue to reduce market barriers for investing in solar power, attracting solar energy companies to New York City, and increasing solar energy production capacity. This includes a team of NYC Solar as well as Storage (DG) Ombudsmen who provide assistance with permitting for solar installations by assisting at the NYC Department of Buildings Hub, 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. Meet the Solar & Storage Ombudsmen
In addition to these services, the expanded NYC Solar & Storage Partnership focuses on increasing the resiliency of communities by identifying and coordinating opportunities for targeted installations of solar power with battery backup storage. The NYC Solar & Storage Partnership also seeks to 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 & storage 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. Contact a Solar or Storage Ombudsmen
About
New York City agencies play a critical role in both deploying and regulating solar & energy storage in our City. To meet the City’s deployment and carbon reduction targets, city agencies will need to continue thoughtfully addressing challenges to safely and effectively deploying these technologies at scale—and greater inter-agency coordination and communication is a vital part of staying ahead of the curve. To address this need, Sustainable CUNY’s Smart DG Hub partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) to launch the NYC Interagency Solar & Storage Coordination Initiative.
The Interagency Initiative identified a list of priority concerns, questions, and needs from over a dozen city agencies. Several Sub-Working Groups (SWGs) were created to carry this work forward. The Interagency Coordination Initiative and its SWGs are a continuous effort that is actively working to address the evolving needs of the city agencies and beyond.
Resources
Resources developed through this effort include:
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