White Plains Breaks Ground on Large Renewable Energy Project
The City of White Plains and developer, Distributed Solar Development (DSD), broke ground last week on a nine-project, 6.8-megawatt community solar portfolio in the city that will triple the amount of solar energy produced in Westchester County.
When constructed by the fall 2022, the White Plains community solar portfolio will be the largest municipal renewable energy deployment in the county, producing enough energy to power more than 700 homes annually.
“White Plains has been a leader in New York when it comes to renewable energy. We have wanted to undertake a large-scale solar project using a city-owned portfolio of sites for years, but the low price of energy produced by NYPA (New York Power Authority) and purchased by the city made such a project difficult to justify economically. Now, with NYPA’s consultation, we have been able to achieve our goal. This project is a win – for our residents, the city, and the environment,” said White Plains Mayor Tom Roach.
Roach noted over 20 years White Plains anticipates collecting more than $20 million in rent from hosting the installations.
The projects also will help realize Governor Andrew Cuomo’s goal of installing 6,000 megawatts of solar by 2025 as called for in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. As Westchester County’s largest municipal project, the White Plains portfolio of projects hopes to serve as an example for other communities that may be interested in actively pursuing clean energy initiatives that allow all resident households to receive a benefit.
“Our work in Westchester County is a great demonstration of how local municipalities can achieve greater sustainability, secure important budget relief during the pandemic and provide meaningful benefits to the local community,” said David Eisenbud, Senior Origination Director at DSD. “Our expertise in canopy installations was a perfect fit for this partnership, and the City of White Plains will continue to be a forerunner in solar adoption because of this transformational initiative.”
The nine solar projects include a mix of canopy, rooftop, and ground mount installations at four parking garages, the Ebersole Ice Rink, Gedney Way Recycling Facility, Gillie Park, Water Department, and the Sanitation Complex. Systems at the Recycling Facility and Shapham Place parking garage will also include energy storage as part of the installations.
White Plains has a strong track record when it comes to renewable energy leadership. In 2014, it was one of the first municipalities to adopt the New York State Unified Solar Permit, which expedited residential solar permitting. In 2017, White Plains was designated a Clean Energy Community by the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA).
“When it comes to community-based renewable energy – and specifically solar – White Plains is leading from the front,” said Gil C. Quiniones, President and CEO of NYPA, which is providing advisory services for the project. “Mayor Roach and his team understand the importance of addressing our climate crisis head on and have taken bold steps to make environmentally friendly choices that will result in a greener, more sustainable future. The city’s forward-thinking approach serves as an example for other communities and will help to advance New York in having the strongest community solar market in the nation.”
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