There are four new solar projects in New York, adding about 27 megawatts to the state’s grid, as the renewable energy source continues to be the cheapest way to bring more capacity online.
The expanded capacity comes online as U.S. energy demand climbs for the first time in decades and the state pursues its goal of 10 gigawatts of distributed solar generation by 2030.
The four projects are part of an eight-project collaboration between Catalyze, a Texas-based renewables company, and CS Energy, a New Jersey-based solar and energy storage company.
An aerial shot of the new solar farm located in Pavilion, Genesee County.
What are Western, Central New York’s new solar projects?
Here are the four projects in western and central New York:
Pavilion, Genesee County: This solar farm on Shepard Road has a capacity of 6.5 megawatts from 12,116 solar panels on 40 acres.
Phelps, Ontario County: This 7.2-megwatt facility on state Route 96 includes 13,390 solar panels on 26 acres.
Fabius, Onondaga County: The solar farm includes 11,076 solar panels across 18 acres with a capacity of 6 megawatts.
Fonda, Montgomery County: This facility opened about two months ago with a 7.2-megawatt capacity from 13,365 panels on 21 acres.
The projects were supported by New York State programs such as the Community Adder and Inclusive Community Solar Adder, which supports community solar projects serving low-to-moderate income users.
Four additional projects from the Catalyze and CS Energy partnership, expected to add 25 megawatts to the New York grid, are scheduled for completion in the next year.
More: US counties are blocking the future of renewable energy: These maps, graphics show how
Trump administration trying to curtail wind, solar projects
Wind and solar power are two of the fastest-growing energy sectors in the United States and produced as much as 17% of the country’s electricity last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the statistical agency of the Department of Energy.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has paused permits on all new wind and solar projects on public land, onshore and offshore, writes Elizabeth Weise for USA TODAY.
The vast majority of renewable energy projects – 95% – are on private land, according to a report by the Brookings Institution. But many of those require some type of federal approval and are also being stalled by the new rules. It’s this push to end large-scale energy projects on private property as well that some in the energy industry consider especially troubling.
“It’s expected that every time you have a major change in administrations, policies on public land might change,” said Jason Grumet, CEO of the American Clean Power Association. “But the willingness of this administration to create political and bureaucratic barriers to private economic activity on private land is something nobody anticipated.”
— Steve Howe reports on weather, climate and the Great Lakes for the Democrat and Chronicle. An RIT graduate, he has covered myriad topics over the years, including public safety, local government, national politics and economic development in New York and Utah.
— USA TODAY contributed information for this article.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Four new solar farms open in NY: See where they’re located