A SOLAR ENERGY FUTURE FOR BROOKLYN

Why Solar Energy?

Sunlight is an unlimited source of power, and more solar energy falls on the Brooklyn each day than could be used in a year. Solar electric panels, also known as photovoltaic or PV systems, convert sunlight directly into electricity. 

Within New York City, we generate most of our electricity from fossil fuel power plants. Recent studies have shown that local renewable energy sources could supply over a third of the City’s electricity within the next 20 years. Solar energy is the most abundant of the City’s renewable energy sources, and solar electric panels can be easily installed on New York City’s buildings. 
                                                                                                                           
Switching from fossil fuels to solar energy creates a broad range of benefits. As a reliable and emissions-free power source, solar energy lowers utility bills, reduces air pollution, and lowers the risk of blackouts. Solar energy investment also increases energy independence, creates jobs, and contributes to local economic development.

Solar Electricity in New York City

New York City is already home to some of the world’s most innovative solar energy systems, but solar energy’s share of the City’s total energy use remains quite small. As of January 2007, there were 75 PV projects totaling approximately 1.47 megawatts (MW). These installations generated an estimated 0.002% of the city’s electricity supply. Solar energy is one of the world’s fastest growing energy sources, and if New York City’s solar energy market continues to grow at current rates, there could be between 14 MW and 54 MW installed in the city by 2015.

Solar Electricity in Brooklyn

Within Brooklyn, there are currently twenty-six solar electric installations, totaling 571.62 kilowatts (kW), or 40% of New York City’s total. Brooklyn leads the City in terms of both kilowatts of solar electricity installed (see the graph below), and the number of solar electric systems installed.

BROOKLYN SOLAR INSTALLATIONS

Habana Outpost, Fort Greene
The Habana Outpost is a restaurant and market that opened in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn in May of 2005. It features biodegradable plates, tables made from recycled materials, a bicycle-propelled juice blender, and a 5 kilowatt PV system. The PV array, designed by architect Ronald Evitts and installed by Solar Energy Systems, Inc. in 2005, features thirty 167-watt Sharp PV modules mounted as an awning. The system generates over 4,400 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, serves as a swing-set frame, and provides shade and rain cover to restaurant patrons. The system was funded in part by a NYSERDA Energy $mart PV incentive.

St. Francis of Assisi School, East Flatbush

St. Francis of Assisi School is a Catholic parochial school for students in Kindergarten through the 8th grade. The school was founded in 1909 and has occupied its current building since 1937.  In 2003, St. Francis was selected to participate in NYSERDA’s School Power…Naturally Program. School Power…Naturally is a program managed by Solar Works, Inc., through which NYSERDA has funded the installation of 2 kilowatt PV systems on 50 schools statewide. NYSERDA also provides, free to all, curriculum and lesson plans focusing on renewable energy and environmental science. The performance of each of the schools’ PV arrays is recorded in real time and posted on the web. St. Francis’s system consists of 16 125-watt BP Solar 3125s panels and was installed by ETM Solar Works in 2005.  

Stillwell Avenue Subway Terminal, Coney Island

Stillwell Avenue Terminal is the largest above-ground station in the New York City subway system. New York City Transit began renovating the station in 2001 and the new train shed, designed by Kiss + Cathcart, was completed in 2005. The new Stillwell Terminal is covered by a 76,000 square foot triple-arched canopy built out of steel, glass and 2,730 custom-made PV modules. The PV modules are manufactured out of RWE Schott thin-film solar cells laminated between two layers of clear glass. The modules are semi-transparent and allow 20-25% of the sunlight to enter the terminal. The striking 210 kW array simultaneously harvests natural light, serves as a functional roof, and generates over 250,000 kWh of electricity per year.
   

In 2005, the City University of New York set a goal of facilitating 500 solar energy systems in New York City by 2010 through the US Department of Energy’s Million Solar Roofs partnership. This report was made possible through financial support from the City University of New York’s Million Solar Roofs Initiative under US Department of Energy contract # DE-FG41-05R110989, the Center for Sustainable Energy at Bronx Community College, and from Solar New York.