ACCESSolar

ACcelerating Community Empowered Shared Solar (ACCESSolar), focuses on smaller sites (generally those rooftops with less than 40 kW individually) to maximize the solar potential of NYCHA’s portfolio. NYCHA encourages community-based organizations and/or non-profits to team up with solar developers – especially local developers that are minority and women-owned enterprises -- to apply for sites. NYCHA aims for this program to provide green jobs for its residents; expand the availability of solar power to LMI populations, including NYCHA residents who pay their own electric bills; and generate lease revenue for host sites. For more information on this program, see the ACCESSolar page on NYCHA’s website.

New Solicitation Released

On April 21, 2023, NYCHA issued a solicitation for the installation of approximately 10 MW of community solar on more than 300 buildings across 21 separate NYCHA developments. The buildings are divided into six bundles, each ranging in potential capacity from 1.3 MW to 2.7 MW. Project developers may submit proposals for any number of bundles. View the full solicitation here.

Connecting Teams for Future Rounds

Sustainable CUNY is supporting ACCESSolar by helping to match interested developers with interested CBOs and non-profits. Developers and CBOs who would like to participate in this round of ACCESSolar and are looking to find like-minded partners can email their names and contact information to nysolar@cuny.edu. Sustainable CUNY will then contact CBOs and developers with compatible goals and provide them with the opportunity to connect.