New York Hits 6 GW Solar Milestone 1 Year Early

Start spreading the news — New York is celebrating a sunny achievement! The Empire State has installed 6 gigawatts (GW) of distributed solar so far, hitting its Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act statutory goal one year ahead of schedule.

In a press release about the achievement, Governor Kathy Hochul said hitting that goal brings the state “one step closer to a reliable and resilient zero-emission grid,” adding that distributed solar is “at the heart of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the availability of renewable energy, and delivering substantial benefits for our health, our environment, and our economy.”

By hitting that 6-GW target — with support from the state’s $3.3 billion NY Sun initiative — New York now has enough distributed solar to power more than a million homes and businesses. That goal has also generated approximately $9.2 billion in private investment across New York, and the state’s solar projects have created more than 14,000 solar jobs.

And we’re proud to say Altus Power has been a part of that achievement. In July 2023, Altus completed the construction of a 4.8 megawatt (MW) ground-mounted solar array in Cayuga County, New York. And that September, Altus announced a new 2.7 megawatt solar array project located on the parking canopies at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s campus in Purchase, New York. That project is projected to save the carbon equivalent of burning more than 2.9 million pounds of coal or more than 4,700 barrels of oil as compared to utility power.

Solar projects like these support Altus Power’s Community Solar program, through which subscribers access the benefits of solar energy and support the transition to greener energy — all while saving money on their utility bills — with no equipment installed, no upfront fees, and no cancellation hassles.

“New Yorkers are known for their hustle, and Community Solar fits right into our fast-paced lives. This program lets you tap into local solar farms without installing panels on your roof,” explains Nichole Clennon, Vice President of Community Solar, Altus Power. “It’s a win-win: you save money on your electricity costs and reduce your community’s carbon footprint, all through a simple sign-up process, because every moment — and every kilowatt-hour — counts.”

(New Yorkers and everyone else, if you’d like to learn more about Community Solar or to see if you’re eligible for the program, head to join.altuspower.com.)

So what’s next for New York? Gov. Hochul gave the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the Department of Public Service a new goal three years ago, moving the goalpost to 10 GW by 2030. And with almost 3.4 GW in development already, the state is once again ahead of schedule.