Success: Power to Croton People!
By: Patty L. Buchanan
Have you heard the electrifying news? Croton’s Community Solar Project achieved full enrollment for 53 households in Croton, zip code 10520! The participants will save 10% on their electricity supply. Even better, the subscribers are made up of diverse income levels, which is also a notable success because this Community Solar Project brought benefits to low and moderate income households.
Kudos to the Croton Village Sustainability Committee for initiating this project and seeing it through. Many thanks to Ecogy Energy, which is the company that developed, financed, owns and operates the solar farm. This project demonstrates a successful collaboration between public and private groups in growing a green local economy. The solar panels that were installed by Croton Energy Group are expected to produce 344,000 kWh per year. The panels are sitting on the roof of the Village Department of Public Works building on a lease to Ecogy Energy, which will bring $726,461 to the Village over the 27-year term of the lease.
Croton100 is pleased to have been a supporter of this Community Solar Project, along with Holy Name of Mary, Care for Creation Ministry. Many thanks to the residents who enrolled. If you missed out on this opportunity, do not despair. More such projects are being planned.
Supporting this Community Solar Project is an effective way to help New York State reach its renewable energy goals under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019 (CLCPA). One such goal under the CLCPA is for New York to have 6,000 MW of solar power by the year 2025.
Developing this solar project, and others like it, will complement the transition to clean transportation by pairing clean energy sources to fuel the expansion of electric vehicles. Researchersat the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, California, and Stanford University, California explain, “A clean electricity grid with near-zero emissions not only benefits the electricity sector and traditional electricity consumers such as buildings but also becomes increasingly crucial for a sustainable transportation future.”
Speaking of a sustainable transportation future . . . National Drive Electric Weekis coming up! September 26-October 4. (The Community Solar Project is located next to the bus depot, a convenient happenstance as we electrify our school bus fleet.)
Croton100 hopes to participate in education events and we would love your help. If you would like to volunteer, please contact us at [email protected].
