Newark-based Genie Solar Energy, a renewables business and a rapidly growing developer of commercial and community solar projects, recently broke ground on construction of a four-megawatt community solar array in Perry, New York.
“We are excited to bring all the benefits of clean, renewable solar energy to the residents and businesses of Perry,” Michael Stein, Genie’s CEO, said. “We are grateful to the board and staff the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority for their leadership, and to the Perry community for their support throughout the planning process.”
The Perry project will comprise approximately 9,000 panels. With a projected annual production of over 5,000 megawatt-hours, it will generate electricity sufficient to power over 440 homes while offsetting over 3,500 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.
Genie expects to complete construction of the Perry solar array later this year. To facilitate the project’s connection with the local electrical grid, Genie Solar will pay for the project’s required grid interconnection upgrades. That work must be performed by the local utility, National Grid, with the timing determined by its ability to schedule and complete the work.
New York state’s community solar program enables households and businesses across the state to access the environmental and economic benefits of solar electricity generation without the need to install panels on their properties. Instead, the solar project developer constructs and interconnects a solar array to the grid while enrolling local subscribers.
Once the project begins to generate electricity, subscribers receive a discount on their electricity supply bill by agreeing to receive electricity from a local, renewable source of power.
“New York’s community solar program is leading the way to bring the benefits of clean, affordable solar energy to residents and businesses across the state,” Nathan Knapke, director of community solar for Genie Solar Energy, said. “For the Perry project, we not only will lower electricity bills for hundreds of local subscribers, but we also plan to utilize highly-skilled, local personnel from Perry and its immediately surrounding areas for critical tasks during the project’s construction including land preparation, panel installation and electrical work.”
