SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Adds Solar

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) subscribed to a New York community solar farm.

July 15, 2025

Published by SED

Community Solar, Equipment-Specific Replacement (HVAC, Heat Pumps, Lighting, Boiler, Chiller, etc.), Higher Education

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) subscribed to a New York community solar farm.

SUNY ESF signed up to receive energy from the solar farm GS Power Partners’ (GSPP) Saratoga II, which is located in Middle Grove, New York, through a partnership with GSPP and Community Solar Authority (CSA).

In addition to delivering substantial savings, the initiative supports the development of renewable energy infrastructure in upstate New York, reinforcing ESF’s commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

ESF began searching for a community solar partner to help them support renewable energy production affordably, and GSPP was able to meet ESF’s requirement for consolidated billing. GSPP — an independent power producer in the distributed generation solar sector — is delivering a 10% savings on electricity delivery costs at the main Syracuse campus, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars annually.

“We wanted to find a solution that aligned with our sustainability goals, reduced our utility expenses, and didn’t create more administrative burden,” said Michael Amadori, Energy Manager at SUNY ESF, in a statement. “Community solar checked all those boxes. And most importantly, it delivers clean, affordable energy to our communities and contributes to the decarbonization of the grid.”

The ESF campus is also moving toward all-electric heating systems, training staff on new energy technologies, and exploring additional heat recovery strategies.

In addition to SUNY ESF, hundreds of households in New York State benefit from Saratoga II community solar credits through National Grid.

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, New York, and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.