New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and EnterSolar announced the completion of a 1.85-megawatt solar installation designed to offset up to 75 percent of the power used by 17 Stewart’s Shops in upstate New York.
This installation, located off site in Halfmoon, supports Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s mandate for 50 percent of electricity generation to come from renewable energy sources by 2030 and New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy.
John B. Rhodes, president and CEO, NYSERDA said, “We are proud to partner with Stewart’s Shops and EnterSolar on this solar project. Stewart’s is a true leader in sustainability efforts and is a model for other businesses to follow here in New York state.”
He said the state is making renewable energy an easy and affordable choice for both businesses and homeowners.
Paul Ahern, president of EnterSolar, said, “We are pleased to complete this, our second initiative with Stewart’s Shops. They are a true partner that recognizes the financial, as well as environmental benefit, of capturing the power of renewable energy. Knowing that solar energy will keep Stewart’s Shops ice cream cold all summer just makes the project that much sweeter.”
Nancy Trimbur, senior vice president at Stewart’s Shops, said the company has a commitment “to giving back to our communities, we are committed to making our communities greener. We’re happy to partner once again with EnterSolar and their efforts in encouraging sustainable energy practices. The solar project they completed at our Greenfield plant in 2013 has been a shining success, and the future looks bright for this latest opportunity to be more eco-friendly.”
The project, which uses remote net metering, was supported by almost $1 million in funding from Cuomo's NY-Sun initiative. It is expected to yield significant environmental benefits as the energy produced by the system is equivalent to taking 241 cars off the road, or powering 306 homes for one year.
Remote net metering allows residential and commercial customers that install solar to receive a credit on their electricity bill for excess power generated by their system and fed back into the grid.
In 2013, NYSERDA, EnterSolar and Stewart's Shops announced the installation of a 600 kW system atop Stewart's 300,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution center in Greenfield Center. Officials said the installation saves Stewart's Shops approximately $40,000 a year in energy costs and offers environmental benefits the equivalent to taking 80 cars off the road.
State officials said NY-Sun has accelerated the growth of solar across the State, with the amount of solar power installed and in development under the initiative increasing 575 percent from 2012 through 2015.
New York's solar industry is the fourth largest in the nation and employs more than 8,250 workers, an increase of more than 3,000 jobs since 2013. In 2016, double-digit job growth is expected to continue with another 1,000 additional jobs created as a result of the State's robust Solar project pipeline.