A SOLAR ENERGY FUTURE FOR QUEENS

Why Solar Energy?

Sunlight is an unlimited source of power, and more solar energy falls on the Bronx 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 fuel to solar energy development 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, generates jobs, and contributes to local economic development.

Solar Energy 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 February 2006, there were 47 PV projects totaling approximately 1.1 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 Energy in Queens

Within Queens, there are currently eleven solar electric installations, totaling 108.5 kilowatts (kW). Combined, these systems account for 9.5% of the City’s total installations. While one of New York City’s first solar electric systems was installed at New York City Transit’s Maspeth warehouse in 1993, Queens is currently the fourth-ranked borough in terms of solar kilowatts. As can be seen in the graph below, a large amount of new solar capacity is planned for 2006 and 2007, and it is projected that Queens will catch up to the other boroughs in the next few years.

The New York Hall of Science, Flushing Meadows Corona Park

The New York Hall of Science, built in 1964 as a pavilion for the World’s Fair, is a hands-on science and technology museum featuring over 400 interactive exhibits. In 2006, altPOWER, Inc. installed a 16 kilowatt PV system on Hall of Science rooftop. The system consists of 80 Sharp Solar 200 watt modules that will generate 16,800 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. The system’s performance will be monitored and used in permanent museum display focusing on solar electricity. The project was jointly funded by the Petroleum Overcharge Restitution fund, the Office of Energy Conservation, and NYSERDA (using funds secured by the New York State Attorney General's Office).  The New York Power Authority, through the ENOCRE program, provided low cost financing and acted as the project manager on behalf of the City

Rikers Island Composting Facility, Rikers Island

Rikers Island, the largest municipal prison in the country, houses as many as 17,000 inmates. In 1996, the New York City Department of Sanitation built a composting facility on the Island that processes over 5,000 tons of the prison’s food waste each year. The roof of the facility consists of 216 glass-laminated 186-watt PV modules manufactured by Atlantis Energy Systems, Inc. The translucent roof transmits 17% of the natural light striking it into the building while generating 49,000 kilowatt-hours of energy each year. The 40 kilowatt system was designed by David Wright Associates, installed by Laduka Construction, and financed by the New York Power Authority.

Residence, Howard Beach

This Queens PV installation is the largest residential system mounted on a single family home in New York City. The 7.77 kW array consists of 42 185-watt Sharp panels. The system is mounted on a sloped roof using a roof-penetrating mounting system. According to the remote metering device connected to the system, the PV array has generated over 10,500 kilowatt-hours annually during the last two years. The system was installed by the Clear Skies Group in collaboration with Quixotic Systems, Inc.

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.