Under New York state’s 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act), the state is obligated by law to drastically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as it strives to achieve 70 percent renewable energy by 2030, with several intermittent goals along the way.
One of the brightest spots on this path has been the development of solar energy. In October, the state announced that 6 gigawatts (GW) of distributed solar – enough to power approximately one million homes – have been installed across New York, marking the early achievement of the CLCPA’s 2025 statutory goal for solar energy a year ahead of schedule.
The 6GW of solar power come from over 230,000 solar projects across the state, from panels on thousands and thousands of single family homes to panels atop large buildings to solar farms around the state.
“The state reaching its goal of 6GW of installed distributed solar is an important reminder that, with strong leaders like Governor Hochul and NYSERDA President Dorreen Harris, we are capable of tackling difficult challenges,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters.
In anticipation of the success, three years ago Governor Hochul directed NYSERDA and the Department of Public Service to expand the goal to 10 GW by 2030, which they are also ahead of schedule to meet with almost 3.4 GW already in development.
The state is tracking the progress of solar power closely across its 62 counties. Suffolk County by far is producing the most solar power, with approximately 800 megawatts across almost 54,000 projects, more than double the next closest county, its neighbor Nassau County. These Long Island counties are followed by Orange County, Monroe County, Westchester County, and Queens County.
Queens leads the way in the five boroughs by a significant margin, with Richmond County second, followed by Kings County, Bronx County, and finally Manhattan.
The yearly growth is pretty remarkable when you look at an annual growth chart. In 2002, the state produced its first megawatt of power from solar. By 2005, the state was producing five megawatts of solar power, by 2010, 60 megawatts; by 2015, 733 megawatts; by 2020, 2,848 megawatts; by 2022, 4,466 megawatts; and in 2024, the state’s goal of 6 GW.
One significant factor driving the increase in solar production is the reduced cost per watt to build solar systems, from $3.77 per watt in 2016 to $2 per watt by 2024.
Another critical aspect of the success of solar in New York has been through the use of the Community Solar model, which enables homeowners, renters, businesses, and multifamily buildings to all access the benefits of solar power without installing panels on their property.
“As the top community solar market in the nation, New York State has provided a replicable model for others to deliver clean, low-cost renewable energy to more consumers,” said New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen Harris. “Our public-private partnerships are the catalysts which have helped us to achieve our 6-GW goal well ahead of target, trailblazing New York’s path to an equitable energy transition.”
Homeowners and businesses who can install panels on their property can utilize state and federal tax incentives to reduce costs, including through programs like NY-Sun, which “works with solar contractors and developers to offset the cost of purchasing and installing a solar panel system” for homes and businesses, and the Solar for All pilot program with utility partner National Grid that benefits low-income households. The website details financing options, federal and state tax credits and possible rebates.
“As the climate crisis grows more urgent by the day, there is no more important challenge than transitioning to a clean energy economy,” added Tighe. “That is why we must increase the pace of our renewable energy development and double down on our efforts to meet all of our CLCPA obligations, including by continuing to increase the distributed solar goal as we exceed initial targets.”
Peter Aronson, a volunteer writer at the New York League of Conservation Voters since September 2022, is a former journalist and retired attorney. He is the author of Mandalay Hawk’s Dilemma: The United States of Anthropocene, a novel for middle-grade readers about kids fighting global warming. Kirkus Reviews, in a starred review, wrote: “A scathing work and an essential blueprint for youth battling climate change.” To read more about Peter, visit his website www.peteraronsonbooks.com or to purchase his book, click here.