July 19, 2019

Capital Region Community Solar

Listen Later

2 minutes

New York’s Capital Region is getting a major new community solar farm. A community solar farm is a solar power installation whose output is shared by multiple community subscribers who receive credit on their electricity bills for their share of the power produced. The primary purpose of community solar is to allow members of a community to have the benefits of solar power even if they cannot or prefer not to install solar panels on their own property.

US Light Energy has broken ground on the Sugar Hill Solar Farm, to be

located on 40 acres of land on the Sugar-Hill/Sugar-View Farm in Clifton

Park. The 7-megawatt, ground-mounted

solar project will include nearly 20,000 solar modules. When fully operational later this year, the

facility is expected to produce more than 8.6 million kilowatt-hours of energy

a year.

The farm will be part of New York state’s Community Solar Program, and

the electricity it generates can be supplied to customers anywhere in National

Grid’s existing distribution system.

Residential and commercial properties in Clifton Park will have 30 days

to subscribe before the solar energy generated by the farm is opened to the

general public. Subscribers of community

solar farms typically save 10% on their electricity bills.

There are already community solar programs in operation in several

Capital Region communities, but this is the first one in the Clifton Park

Area. Apart from providing savings on

utility bills, community solar allows consumers to support clean, locally

generated power with little or no upfront costs. Not everyone is in a position to put solar

panels on their roof, but community solar is increasingly an option for New

York residents.

**********

Web Links

Construction begins on 7-MW community solar farm in New York

Photo, posted March 19, 2012, courtesy of Kate Ausburn via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

...more

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Earth Wise

By Randy Simon

4.7

1515 ratings

July 19, 2019

Capital Region Community Solar

Listen Later

2 minutes

New York’s Capital Region is getting a major new community solar farm. A community solar farm is a solar power installation whose output is shared by multiple community subscribers who receive credit on their electricity bills for their share of the power produced. The primary purpose of community solar is to allow members of a community to have the benefits of solar power even if they cannot or prefer not to install solar panels on their own property.

US Light Energy has broken ground on the Sugar Hill Solar Farm, to be

located on 40 acres of land on the Sugar-Hill/Sugar-View Farm in Clifton

Park. The 7-megawatt, ground-mounted

solar project will include nearly 20,000 solar modules. When fully operational later this year, the

facility is expected to produce more than 8.6 million kilowatt-hours of energy

a year.

The farm will be part of New York state’s Community Solar Program, and

the electricity it generates can be supplied to customers anywhere in National

Grid’s existing distribution system.

Residential and commercial properties in Clifton Park will have 30 days

to subscribe before the solar energy generated by the farm is opened to the

general public. Subscribers of community

solar farms typically save 10% on their electricity bills.

There are already community solar programs in operation in several

Capital Region communities, but this is the first one in the Clifton Park

Area. Apart from providing savings on

utility bills, community solar allows consumers to support clean, locally

generated power with little or no upfront costs. Not everyone is in a position to put solar

panels on their roof, but community solar is increasingly an option for New

York residents.

**********

Web Links

Construction begins on 7-MW community solar farm in New York

Photo, posted March 19, 2012, courtesy of Kate Ausburn via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

...more