New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and the City of Albany will co-develop a new 1.5-megawatt solar energy project at the capped North Albany/Shaker Park landfill.
This is NYPA’s first renewable energy project in the newly established Renewable Energy Access and Community Help (REACH) program, which will lower energy costs for low- or moderate-income Albany area residents and eligible New Yorkers in the surrounding area.
The ground-mounted solar farm is estimated to come online in 2027 and will power the equivalent of over 200 homes.
The Power Authority, through its wholly owned subsidiary the New York Renewable Energy Development Holdings Corporation (NYRED), will construct the 1.5-MW solar generation project.
“Transforming the North Albany landfill into a source of clean energy is evidence of our steadfast commitment to create a more affordable and reliable electric system for all New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said in a statement. “Through this collaboration and project, NYPA is advancing its efforts to develop new renewables while simultaneously benefiting low- and moderate-income area residents with bill credits through its new REACH program. This project also reflects our focus on repurposing underutilized sites to meet our ambitious climate goals in smart, sustainable ways.”
The North Albany/Shaker Road project is one of the first to be developed under NYPA’s Renewables Strategic Plan. The plan is a roadmap for NYPA’s renewable energy development under its expanded authority to build additional renewable energy resources to help advance New York State’s climate goals.
The project will be built adjacent to the headquarters of the city’s Department of General Services building. The city of Albany and Power Authority have completed pre-feasibility studies for the site and will move forward to the next phases of development, including preparing and submitting an interconnection application to the local utility.
NYPA recently announced Somers Solar, a 20-MW solar energy generation project in the town of Fort Edward in Washington County, will be its first renewables project under the expanded authority.