Together, these projects will generate over 500,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy per year for New York ratepayers. By replacing coal power plants in the region, this clean energy — enough to power over 70,000 homes — eliminates over 257,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. The projects will create hundreds of construction jobs and stimulate local economic benefits in the form of local contracts, workforce development, property tax payments, and host community agreements.
"As the first company to successfully develop and construct large scale solar in upstate New York, we are proud to continue playing a leading role in the deployment of NYSERDA's large-scale renewables (LSR) program," says Eric Millard, Chief Commercial Officer at CS Energy.
"Our personalized approach and hands-on experience collaborating with municipalities, state and local agencies, communities, local labor, and New York businesses sets us apart in helping New York achieve its renewable energy goals."
Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of NYSERDA said, "With the help of partners like CS Energy, New York is growing a pipeline of over 120 large-scale renewable projects that bring us closer to reaching our climate and clean energy goals while at the same time delivering cleaner air, new green jobs, and local tax revenue to communities across the state.
"These newly awarded projects are another example of CS Energy's ongoing commitment to investing in New York and help to build on the company's successful completion of Branscomb Solar - the first utility-scale solar project outside Long Island – and more projects like it that will deliver clean power to the grid before the end of year."
The three projects, among those selected from over 50 bidding facilities, are part of a competitive 22-project procurement portfolio. Each one of the CS Energy projects listed below will deploy single-axis tracking technology and bifacial solar panels:
At 160 MW AC / 216 MW DC, CS Energy's largest project is located less than 10 miles from the Cayuga coal plant, which was retired in 2019. The new project's proximity showcases the important role solar energy has in making the grid more environmentally friendly while stimulating local economies.
With the addition of these 22 projects from this year's award group, NYSERDA's large-scale renewables program will provide 8,000 megawatts of clean solar energy, increasing NY's renewable energy mix to 66 percent when combined with New York's contracted land-based wind and offshore wind. The projects will infuse $2.7 billion into local economies, creating 3,000 jobs across the state.
