Ecogy Energy, a developer, financier, and owner-operator, was selected through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) in 2021 by the New York Power Authority (NYPA), in partnership with Sustainable Westchester and Westchester County, to develop solar energy projects under the Westchester Community Solar Partnership (WCSP), along with two other developers. The WCSP broadly aims to power the economic growth of New York State by supplying Westchester County residents and municipalities with locally based, ideal land-use, and discounted electricity costs through community solar projects.
Ecogy is securing preliminary agreements with the first municipality in a series of upcoming projects and has obtained approvals for a Con Edison interconnection and incentives from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
Sustainable Westchester, a nonprofit consortium of Westchester County local governments, is the designated community solar acquisition provider for the WCSP and will collaborate with Ecogy to enroll local residents, with a focus on affordable housing communities and low-to-moderate income (“LMI”) individuals. By prioritizing these groups in the development plans, NYPA, Westchester County, Ecogy, and Sustainable Westchester are making large strides toward supporting environmental justice and directing benefits to historically underserved and overlooked communities.
“Many homeowners are ineligible to install solar on their homes for a host of reasons, including that they may be renting a property, have too much shade, poor roof conditions, or because of financial restrictions. However, Community Solar is designed to be accessible for all communities and residents, bringing them financial rewards and environmental improvements. We are proud and excited to be partnering with NY-based Ecogy and once again with Sustainable Westchester on an innovative cost and energy-saving initiative,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer.
Community Distributed Generation (CDG) projects help governments and schools support renewable energy developments that benefit their communities and dismantle the inequitable distribution of renewable energy that can occur, redirecting the benefits to those who may not have the space, time, financial resources, or development experience to logistically support their own solar PV system. The WCSP will enable surrounding communities to access clean energy with a simple subscription process, no cost to sign up, no cancellation fees, and a guaranteed discount for subscribers of up to 10% on earned solar credits while offering site lease payments to those municipalities hosting the solar arrays.
SOURCE: Globe Newswire