NYC's Largest Solar Energy Installation to be Built at Former Landfill
The largest solar energy installation in New York City will be built at Freshkills Parks on Staten Island, announced Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a statement last week. After a competitive bidding process, SunEdison was selected to design and operate a solar power facility on 47 acres of land which will be comprised of approximately 30,000 to 35,000 solar panels. The facility has the potential to generate up to 10 megawatts of power - enough to power 2,000 homes. The planned project will increase NYC’s current renewable energy capacity by 50 percent and is expected to break ground in late 2015.
Freshkills spans 2,200 acres on the western shore of Staten Island and served as the City’s principal solid waste landfill until 2001. According to the mayor, Freshkills was once the site of the largest landfill in the world. In 2006, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation began developing Freshkills Park, which features restored wetlands and soccer fields. “We are putting [Freshkills] on the map as a model for clean and renewable energy,” said Parks and Recreation Commissioner Veronica White. “When you visit Freshkills Park today, it’s hard to imagine it was ever a landfill.”
The planned solar power project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the city. During hot summer days in New York, the steep demand for electricity means activating inefficient in-city “peaker” plants, some of which burn heavy fuel oil. The additional energy provided by the Freshkills facility will reduce the need for peak electricity generation at the inefficient facilities. Additionally, the solar power facility will promote New York City’s goal of a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
This month the department will apply to formally map an additional 1,500 acres of the Freshkills site as parkland. Once the application process is complete, the added land at Freshkills will put New York City at over 30,000 acres of parkland, which is larger than the entire city of San Francisco. It will also give Staten Island the largest park acreage of the five boroughs, representing 28 percent of the City’s parkland.
The Chanler Group is actively engaged in the review and analysis of incentive-based renewable energy programs to determine potential benefits to our clients. Global energy consumption continues to increase each year and, with this increase, the demand for safe, clean, and unlimited energy is on the rise. The Federal and State governments promote this interest through a variety of financially-beneficial incentives. Our understanding of these laws allows us to guide homeowners, businesses, and/or developers through the various ways to take advantage of these incentive-based benefits. With the appreciation that renewable energy laws and regulations are constantly changing, The Chanler Group is committed to investing in its understanding and practice of this area of law.