New York Announces Completion Of Eight New Large-Scale Renewable Energy Infrastructure Projects

During Earth Week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced eight new large-scale renewable energy infrastructure projects have been completed in the last six months to deliver clean energy to New York's power grid. During development and construction, the projects supported the creation of nearly 1,800 jobs and spurred nearly $800 million in private investment across the state while contributing nearly $70 million to their host communities in the form of school, town, and county payments. Together, these eight projects total 418 megawatts, enough renewable energy to power more than 150,000 New York homes and reduce nearly 600,000 tons of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to removing almost 120,000 cars off the road each year. Today's announcement represents significant progress towards the achievement of New York's Climate Act goal for 70 percent of the state's electricity to come from renewable energy by 2030.

"One of my administration's top priorities is transforming New York's electricity system and building a thriving green economy," Governor Hochul said. "These large-scale renewable energy infrastructure projects supported the creation of hundreds of clean, green jobs and will deliver clean energy to hundreds of thousands of New York homes. This Earth Week, we are seeing how clean energy can transform communities and lead to a greener future for all New Yorkers."

This week's announcement was made at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Grissom Solar project in Montgomery County. Located on approximately 100 acres in the Town of Mohawk, the 20-megawatt project, developed and constructed by CS Energy and owned by MN8 Energy with tax equity financing from M&T Community & Environmental Development LLC, a subsidiary of M&T Bank Corporation ("M&T"), was built with $28 million in private investment and created 148 jobs to support its construction and ongoing operations and maintenance in the Mohawk Valley.

The recently completed projects include: 

Central New York

• Janis Solar (Cortland County): a 20 MW solar facility developed and constructed by CS Energy and is owned by MN8 Energy with tax equity financing from M&T Community & Environmental Development LLC, a subsidiary M&T in the Town of Willet was completed on March 17, 2023.

Mohawk Valley

• Grissom Solar (Montgomery County): a 20 MW solar facility developed and constructed by CS Energy and is owned by MN8 Energy with tax equity financing from M&T Community & Environmental Development LLC, a subsidiary of M&T in the Town of Mohawk was completed on March 17, 2023.
  
• Regan Solar (Montgomery County): a 20 MW solar facility developed and constructed by CS Energy and is owned by MN8 Energy with tax equity financing from M&T Community & Environmental Development LLC, a subsidiary of M&T in the Town of Mohawk was completed on December 29, 2022.

North Country

• Chasm Falls Hydro (Franklin County): a 1.6 MW hydropower facility in the Town of Chateauguay that was returned to service by Ampersand Hydro on November 2, 2022.
  
• Number Three Wind (Lewis County): a 103.9 MW wind facility developed by Invenergy in the Towns of Harrisburg and Lowville was completed on April 14, 2023.

Southern Tier

• Baron Winds I (Steuben County): a 121.8 MW wind facility developed by RWE in the Towns of Cohocton, Dansville, and Wayland was completed on February 7, 2023.
  
• Eight Point Wind (Steuben County): a 111.2 MW wind facility developed by NextEra Energy in the Towns of Greenwood and West Union was completed on February 8, 2023.
  
• Puckett Solar (Chenango County): a 20 MW solar facility developed and constructed by CS Energy and is owned by MN8 Energy with tax equity financing from M&T Community & Environmental Development LLC, a subsidiary of M&T in the Town of Greene was completed on October 21, 2022.

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, "Governor Hochul's commitment to New York's clean energy transition is reaffirmed by the completion of these projects, which have helped power more homes with clean, renewable energy, brought forward new jobs, and spurred local economic development. As we continue on a path towards a zero-emission future, accelerating the development and completion of the dozens of wind and solar projects in our pipeline will continue to be a priority for NYSERDA and we look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders to ensure these projects are advanced in a responsible and timely manner.

These projects, which were awarded by NYSERDA in 2016 and 2017, were completed following productive engagement with local communities. NYSERDA's growing portfolio of projects are being designed and constructed in ways that avoid development on the highest-quality agricultural lands, include mitigation measures when appropriate, or commit funding to support regional agricultural operations - helping to preserve and protect New York's valuable agricultural and environmental resources.

New York has a robust pipeline of 120 large-scale renewable energy and transmission projects, which are expected to deliver over 14,200 megawatts of new clean power to the grid when completed - enough to power nearly five and a half million New York homes. The State's commitment to building out new green energy transmission, led by 250 miles of new major upgrades already underway throughout the state, and with the Clean Path New York and Champlain Hudson Power Express transmission lines approved in April, will allow the current pipeline of renewables to power over 66 percent of New York's electricity from renewable sources once operational. This renewable energy portfolio will be bolstered by NYSERDA's sixth competitive solicitation, announced last September, calling for 2,000 megawatts or more of new large-scale renewable energy projects, which maintains the predictable pace of state-contracted opportunities for private renewable energy developers. NYSERDA expects to announce the awards in the summer of 2023.

New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan

New York State's nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues fostering a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation's most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economy wide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $35 billion in 120 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.8 billion in NY Green Bank commitments.

These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector in 2021 and a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York's climate action with nearly 400 registered and 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State's largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution interventions and combat climate change.

_{Source: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority}

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