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New York — The New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced that two gigawatts of solar capacity has been installed across the state, underscoring New York’s position as one of the fastest growing distributed solar markets in the nation with a nearly 1,800 percent growth, leveraging $4 billion in private investment, fueling nearly 12,000 jobs since 2011 and decreasing the cost of solar by nearly 60 percent.
The announcement represents one-third of the solar capacity needed to achieve the statewide target to install six gigawatts of solar by 2025 and supports Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s nation-leading Green New Deal, which calls for 70 percent of the state’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030.
“Solar is a vital part of New York’s Green New Deal strategy to transition to a clean energy future and reduce emissions to combat one of the most pressing issues of our time–climate change,” Governor Cuomo said. “The success of this initiative demonstrates we are on a path to meeting our nation-leading energy goals, and our climate agenda is spurring economic growth and leaving this planet cleaner and greener for generations to come.”
“This installation of additional solar capacity advances our ambitious clean energy goals powering hundreds of thousands of homes,” Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said. “We are committed to investing in affordable, innovative solutions that are creating jobs, reducing emissions, and combatting climate change.”
NYSERDA President and CEO Alicia Barton said, “Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative has made New York a national leader in distributed solar development and provided the support to make it an increasingly popular and affordable option for New Yorkers who want to lower their carbon footprint and energy bills. As we wrap up the end of the decade, today’s two gigawatt milestone is the State’s clean energy gift to all New Yorkers as we march towards Governor Cuomo’s commitment to meet 70 percent of our statewide electricity needs with renewable energy by 2030.”
The two gigawatts milestone being announced consists of both state and private-sector supported solar projects. New York’s policies have ensured solar reaches every county in the State with Long Island, Mid-Hudson, and Capital regions leading the charge with the most installed solar.
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