Community Solar Farms Going Up in North Country; Company Claims Solar Now "More Democratic"
ALBANY, N.Y., April 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Community solar farms under construction in Mooers, NY will soon produce over 1000 megawatt hours of electricity each year, enough to power over 1100 homes, according to the company responsible for marketing to consumers in the North Country.
"We can give homeowners up to 100% offset on their dirty energy usage," said David Fargnoli, a spokesman for Solar Farms New York, an Albany-based company that is marketing the project. "We like to say we're blowing the roof off solar because for the first time everybody can enjoy solar without putting panels up on their roof."
The Mooers solar farms are being built in accordance with New York state regulations that encourage developers to build community solar projects that deliver their electricity to the local utility which then credits consumers with a portion of the solar energy produced.
Each farm will be less than 14 acres to avoid any adverse impact on wildlife or the landscape; unlike wind farms and utility scaled solar farms elsewhere in the country.
According to the company, the community solar farms in Mooers are expected to be built this summer and will start flowing electricity to NYSEG towards the end of the year. Because production is limited by the number of solar panels erected on the farms, membership in the Mooers project will be limited to about 1100 customers, depending on the average annual usage of the homes that enroll.
Fargnoli explained that his company views community solar is more democratic than rooftop solar. "Anybody can support solar energy with a community solar membership," he said, "but only homeowners with suitable rooftops can take advantage of solar panels."
According to the Solar Industry Association, community solar is now available in some fourteen states and the District of Columbia. After getting its start in Colorado and California several years ago, New York has rapidly taken the lead in community solar development, Fargnoli said.
Customers who wish to take advantage of community solar can become members of the new community solar farms by logging into www.SolarFarmsNY.com or calling the company's Albany office at 833 877 7652.
SOURCE Solar Farms NY
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