Monday, November 30, 2015
New solar project set to shave power costs in Amsterdam; 2,000-panel array is city's biggest
AMSTERDAM, New York — There's a new bright spot in Amsterdam, New York — a solar-power project that's expected to save the old industrial city thousands of dollars a year in electrical costs.
Amsterdam's new "solar garden" is expected to go online Monday, the Daily Gazette (http://bit.ly/1OwUUUr) of Schenectady reported Saturday.
Built on a decommissioned reservoir, the 2,000-panel array is the biggest solar project to date in the city of 18,000 people, about 35 miles from Albany.
"It's good news for Amsterdam, because we're repurposing the property, and the residents will benefit because it's new revenue to the city," Mayor Ann Thane told the newspaper.
The project is expected to generate enough electricity to power the city's water and wastewater plants and pump station.
Monolith Solar paid to build the array, with the city agreeing in return to buy power from it for 20 years, at about 30 percent below prevailing energy rates, Monolith Solar account manager Tim Carr told the Daily Gazette. The city expects to save $40,000 in the first year and $1.3 million over 20 years.
After that, the city can buy the system, extend the agreement in five-year intervals or end the deal and have Monolith Solar dismantle the array, he said.
Amsterdam already has smaller, rooftop arrays on a bus garage and public safety building. With the new project, Amsterdam's municipal buildings will get about one-third of their power from solar energy, according to state Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara's office. The array also took advantage of state incentives for solar installations.
Set on the Mohawk River, Amsterdam was once one of the nation's leading carpet and rug manufacturing centers. It's also the hometown of actor Kirk Douglas and has a park named in his honor.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Hoosick Falls solar garden now open
Hoosick Falls >> A partnership between the Village of Hoosick Falls and a solar company will bring clean energy to the Rensselaer County village.
The village announced a partnership with Monolith Solar to create a solar garden in an old landfill on Walnut Street. The new solar garden is comprised of ground-mounted solar panels on village-owned land at the closed landfill.
Completion of this project was years in the making. After three years of set up, various state and local officials, along with company representatives opened the facility Monday.
The new solar garden is a 592.92 kilowatt system and it will save the village over $40,000 during its first year. The solar garden has a total of 1,944 solar panels, which will provide up to 60 percent of the municipal electricity to the village. The village and Monolith Solar have entered a 20-year agreement.
Tim Carr of Monolith Solar said, “over this new 20- year plan at this location, the village of Hoosick Falls will save over $1.3 million with no cost to the village.”
Village mayor David Borge was on hand during the ribbon cutting ceremony Monday.
“This is land that couldn’t be used for anything but for the transfer station which is very attractive but now we have this land being put to its most productive use,” he said.
Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino helped to play a part during the process of getting this solar garden set up, officials said.
Jimino said she is proud of this project and she said, that she wanted to congratulate Mayor Borge and his board for this innovative reuse of this land and that it is a great spot to think to use an old landfill for this important new solar garden.
Jeff Cleary,a representative from Senator Kathleen Marchione’s office said, “Mayor David Borge is always working hard to find interesting ways to help out his village and that this is just tremendous use of land.”
Borge is currently in talks with the county to be able to more solar panels around Hoosick Falls over the next few years so that the village can one day run completely off completely solar energy. Borge said he looks forward to Hoosick Falls developing a reputation for being a green community.
Nicholas Buonanno can be reached at 518-290-8362.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Very Excited to Announce our Newest Project in Buffalo!
Solar garden to be installed in Newfane
Town officials announced at a ground breaking ceremony on Monday that a solar garden will be installed at the Newfane Old Apple Orchard location.
Check out this story on WGRZ.com: http://on.wgrz.com/1MtUlqM
Town officials announced at a ground breaking ceremony on Monday that a solar garden will be installed at the Newfane Old Apple Orchard location.
Check out this story on WGRZ.com: http://on.wgrz.com/1MtUlqM
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