Using Community Solar to Make Clean Energy Accessible for All

Today marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. For me, these extra hours of sunshine are a reminder of the important role solar energy will play in meeting New York’s clean energy goals.

Solar energy is already a popular clean energy source in New York. We rank among the top 10 states in solar capacity and employ more workers in solar energy than almost anywhere else in the country. New York currently uses solar power to generate over 5% of our electricity, and that number is expected to continually rise over the next several years.

However, it is often difficult for people living in apartment buildings to add solar panels to their homes. Cost can also be a barrier that prevents people from tapping into this source of clean energy. One way National Grid is ensuring that all New Yorkers can take part in the clean energy transition is by leading the state in interconnecting community solar projects to the grid.

Community solar increases access to affordable, renewable energy by giving New Yorkers the choice to receive solar power generated at an offsite location, rather than installing solar panels on their own properties. Then, energy delivery companies like National Grid transmit the clean energy generated by the solar panels to customers’ homes and businesses. In this way, community solar makes clean energy available to everyone.

Community solar also helps bring down energy costs for New Yorkers. Since community solar projects power a group, customers share the costs to build and interconnect the solar panels. Then, once they are connected, they receive credits toward their monthly energy bills for the clean energy produced through community solar.

On top of these benefits for customers, community solar also contributes to a stronger, more reliable energy grid for all of us. Diversifying the source and location where energy is generated makes communities more resilient to extreme weather that can cause outages.

For all these reasons, I’m glad New York is prioritizing community solar as part of our path to a clean energy future. Building off National Grid’s innovative Expanded Solar for All program, Governor Hochul’s Statewide Solar for All program has set an ambitious goal of ensuring at least $40 in bill credits each year to more than 800,000 income-eligible households.

Solar energy is going to be a core component of our energy mix in the future, and we need to make sure it is accessible to everyone. I’m proud that National Grid is leading the state in connecting community solar projects to the grid and look forward to working with our partners in Albany and communities across New York to use this model to bring affordable clean energy to more New Yorkers.