New York City and State government is supporting the installation of solar power systems at two dozen schools in the City with a total of USD $28 million in funding.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio says the initiative is part of the administration’s new green buildings plan that will triple the amount of solar capacity currently planned on City-owned buildings, and contribute significantly to the City’s goal of slashing greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2050.
Totaling 6.25 MW capacity, the 24 solar panel system installations installed at various schools will avoid more than 2,800 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Additionally, the installations will a learning tool integrated into an environmental curriculum plan. Online monitoring will enable students to track system performance and undertake related analyses.
“These 24 new solar installations at our schools mark a significant step forward, tripling the amount of solar currently on City buildings -but they’re also just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how we’ll dramatically reduce our contributions to climate change,” said the Mayor.
Mayor de Blasio has also committed to retrofitting every energy-hungry City-owned building by 2025, including installing 100 MW of solar power. The project will be carried out under the One City, Built to Last initiative.
The City also plans to support an additional 250 MW of solar panels on private buildings.
The $28 million school investment includes $23 million in City funds and an estimated $5 million in grants from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
Schools in Australia wanting to go solar were previously able to receive assistance under the National Solar Schools Program (NSSP). While that is no longer operating; schools are still able to take advantage of other incentives and finance arrangements; making solar not only affordable but having a net effect of substantially reducing power bills.
