NEW YORK, NY – The NY Solar Map and Portal was launched today at the 10th Annual NY Solar Summit.  Sustainable CUNY of the City University of New York (CUNY) worked with a team of researchers, IT and GIS experts at the country’s largest urban public university, as well as with solar leaders across the state, to design and build the comprehensive interactive website with support from the NY Sun Initiative and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative.

nysolarmap.com

The NY Solar Map and Portal allows New Yorkers across the state to realize their solar potential with detailed technical and economic calculations and the ability to connect with accredited solar installers. Distinguished from other solar maps, the NY Solar Map and Portal provides consumers with localized information, market statistics and flexible analytics.  Consumers, installers and municipal leaders can also access information on resources and programs available in their local community through the ‘In Your Area’ feature. This tool connects consumers to local ‘solarize’ group purchasing campaigns and community shared solar opportunities, which are open to renters, investors and those with non-viable roofs.

The NY Solar Map also features a ‘draw solar’ tool that can be utilized anywhere in the state: a rooftop in Albany, a parking lot on Long Island or a brownfield in western New York. NYC and the Westchester County additionally have LiDAR: surveying technology that uses light and radar to measure a geographic space. This allows the Map to account for shading from trees and other obstructions to direct sunlight. Additional communities that capture Lidar data will be added to the map when available. The NY Solar Map and Portal is an expansion of the NYC Solar Map (also by Sustainable CUNY), one of the first solar maps in the country, built in 2010 utilizing 5 billion points of LiDAR data with support from the DOE, NYS, the City of New York and Con Edison.

“In NYC, we’ve more than tripled solar since 2014 — focusing on cutting red tape and making lower-cost solar accessible to as many New Yorkers as possible, as we work toward our OneNYC goal of an 80 percent reduction in emissions by 2050,” said NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The NY Solar Map will help ensure New Yorkers have the information they need to make the switch to clean energy, and we’re proud to support this valuable new tool.”

“As Thomas Jefferson said, ‘Information is the currency of democracy’ and the NY Solar Map is an important tool to provide all New Yorkers–from customers to installers to policymakers–the information they need to choose affordable solar power,” said Richard Kauffman, Chairman of Energy and Finance for New York. “Resources like this new map will help democratize the production of energy, ensure greater access to clean energy for households and communities across the state, and contribute toward achieving Governor Cuomo’s goal of 50 percent renewables by 2030.”

“In Reforming the Energy Vision — Gov. Cuomo’s strategy to fight climate change and grow New York’s green economy — a key goal is to expand solar and other renewable power and the NY Solar Map and Portal will greatly assist in that effort,” said Audrey Zibelman, Chair of the New York State Public Service Commission. “Like REV, this new map and interactive portal will give energy consumers the information and the tools they need to lower their energy bills.”

“Through Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative, solar in NYS is setting records in installation and job growth in New York State,” said John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA. “The NY Solar Map and Portal gives communities, businesses, hospitals, colleges and others the tools to help them choose to install solar, which adds good jobs to the State’s clean energy economy and renewables to the State’s energy mix.”

“The easier we can make it for consumers and businesses to determine whether solar is the right option for them, the faster solar will become an essential components of the State’s energy mix,” said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO. “We’re proud to support the Solar Map, as the more consumers know about solar, the more they’re bound to embrace it for their energy needs.”

“The City University of New York is proud to have worked for over a decade with municipalities across New York as well as utility, State and Federal leaders to play a significant role in reducing the costs of conversion to solar energy,” said CUNY Chancellor James B. Milliken. “The NY Solar Map and Portal, developed by Sustainable CUNY and built in collaboration with CUNY  faculty and students across many campuses, is a robust interactive tool that puts data and information at the fingertips of all New Yorkers, ultimately boosting economic development and helping New York gain recognition nationally as a model for the future of renewable energy.”

“The NY Solar Map is another tool that will help support the growth of clean, renewable solar energy in our state,” said Craig Ivey, president of Con Edison. “That is also the goal of our Solar Progress Partnership, which brings together utilities and solar companies to encourage solar development while helping to maintain a reliable, resilient grid.”

Sixteen municipalities around the state representing over half the population have partnered with Sustainable CUNY, lending localized expertise in a collaborative effort to encourage streamlined permitting, develop a Model Solar Zoning Law and Toolkit, create group purchasing campaigns and host workshops for municipal leaders and installers. These collective efforts helped inform the development of the Portal for the NY Solar Map, offering a one-stop shop for consumers, installers, city planners and utilities. Committed jurisdictions that spent over three years working with CUNY now each have their own solar map address, such as nysolarmap.com/albany. The City of Yonkers, the Town of Red Hook, the Village of Warwick, the Town of Warwick, the Town of Huntington and New York City additionally collaborated with CUNY’s IT team to create interactive permitting guides for the portal.

“Sustainable CUNY has developed a practical online technology that empowers individuals to find out if solar energy is a viable option on their property,” said Albany Mayor Kathy M. Sheehan. “This map and portal provide an important tool for property owners who want to determine whether they can save money and reduce their carbon footprint by making the switch to solar. It is also an important contribution to Governor Cuomo’s bold initiative to aggressively promote alternative energies.”

“The Town of Huntington partnered with Sustainable CUNY on solar energy initiatives because the Town is committed to making it easier for local residents and business to explore whether solar works for them and to streamlining the conversion process,” said Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone. “The NY Solar Map and Portal is the next logical step in this effort, providing the information on-line and in an interactive fashion. I congratulate Sustainable CUNY for producing this first-in-the-nation portal.”

“The City of Yonkers is supportive of the U.S. Department of Energy goals and it has been our pleasure to work with CUNY and NYSolar Smart partners to ensure that New York State continues to be a leader in the U.S. solar market,” said Mayor of Yonkers Mike Spano. “Yonkers has seen  103% compound annual growth from 2011 through the end of 2015, the number of solar installations in Yonkers has more than doubled each year leading to $13.68 million in economic development”

“The NY Solar map and portal will be a great asset for our community to monitor progress towards increasing our use of renewable solar energy,” said Town of Warwick Supervisor Michael Sweeton. “The Town of Warwick is proud to have worked on the Interactive Permitting Guide and to have adopted the unified permit.”

“The Village of Warwick was pleased to participate in the development of a Statewide Solar Permit,” said Mayor Michael Newhard.  “Working with CUNY and colleagues throughout New York State was a valuable lesson in cooperation and vision. The permit and Statewide Solar Map are important steps for the future of a sustainable New York.”

“Southampton Town is a strong advocate for renewable solar energy installation,” said Town of Southampton Supervisor Jay Schneiderman.  “We, as a Town, are now entering our second round of a Solarize Southampton campaign, partly funded by a NYSERDA grant, to promote solar installations throughout the Town. This tool will be an invaluable asset to that local effort as I am sure it will be in other parts of the State. ”

“Clifton Park was eager to lend expertise, as a member of a select working group, to the goal of comprising a unified code for all municipalities in New York State pertaining to solar installations,” said Clifton Park Town Supervisor Phil Barrett.  “The code will provide a uniform standard for all municipalities, which will streamline the solar installation process for homeowners, businesses and the solar industry.  We value our partnership with CUNY in this endeavor and look forward to future collaborative efforts.” 

“Red Hook is privileged to be working with Sustainable CUNY to help New Yorkers with home grown solar,” said Red Hook Town Supervisor Robert McKeon. “This will complement our Solarize Northern Dutchess campaign which has hundreds of interested families.

“The City of Schenectady is proud to have partnered with Sustainable CUNY and the 15 other New York jurisdictions through the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative Rooftop Solar Challenge II,” said Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy. “This initiative will not only help to break through some of the economic and permitting barriers to installing rooftop solar energy systems, but the NY Solar Map and Portal will allow Schenectady residents to estimate the solar potential of their home, get step-by-step guidance and information, and connect with local qualified installers.”

The Age of Solar

Sustainable CUNY’s 10th annual NY Solar Summit featured onstage conversations with U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative Director Dr. Lidija Sekaric and the Public Service Commission along with National Grid President Kenneth Daly, and Con Edison Vice President Stuart Nachmias on present and future solar policy. Utility leaders highlighted current demonstration projects triggered by New York’s ‘Reforming the Energy Vision’ while the NYC Solar Partnership outlined Solarize NYC- a comprehensive program of solarize and shared solar campaigns in America’s largest City. NYSERDA President John Rhodes gave the afternoon keynote outlining the tremendous progress of the NY-Sun Initiative and a panel on solar+storage featured the efforts of CUNY’s Smart DG Hub-Resilient Solar Project to create a pathway to the marketplace for batteries. ‘Building New York’s Solar Empire’ featured the many programs available in New York and numerous case studies showed the way for shared solar and solar+storage projects. Prime sponsors of the 10th annual NY Solar Summit include NYSERDA, Con Edison and the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. Full Sponsor List

The Making of the Map

The NY Solar Map and Portal is the country’s first comprehensive statewide solar map complete with a robust informational portal. Sustainable CUNY led development of the project and maintains the content, while CUNY’s Center for Advanced Research of Spatial Information (CARSI) at Hunter College was responsible for software design, development and implementation.

The NY Solar Map adds LiDAR data covering Westchester County to the existing model of New York City, while the Map provides solar estimations for the rest of the state using satellite imagery and historical weather data. For NYC and Westchester, the NY Solar Map estimates rooftop solar potential using a computer model that calculates the incoming direct and diffuse solar radiation for every square meter. The model is based on the position of the sun; multiple historical weather datasets, which were calibrated using the performance of deployed solar systems; latitude; and, most importantly, shading. Shading information is generated from a 3D model derived from the LIDAR data. Integration with local land-use data allows users to easily click on a building or search for an address and find its solar potential. For areas without LIDAR data, users are prompted to draw a box on their southernmost-facing roof. The NY Solar Map uses historical weather and solar radiation data from the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) to estimate the solar production of the roof. In both cases, the Solar Calculator provides detailed information about the solar investment, including estimated incentives, savings, and payback.

What separates the NY Solar Map and Portal from other solar mapping tools is the integration of local program information and educational resources. In addition to the In Your Area tool, the Solar Connect feature allows users to receive quotes from NYSERDA-qualified solar installers, and sort contractors based on their offerings and the number of projects they have completed within a local jurisdiction. The Solar Statistics and Solar Layers features allow users to visualize how New York’s solar market is growing as a whole and within each municipality. Charts display how prices are falling, and users can view installed systems across the state. Installers can view maps of which municipalities have adopted the NYS Unified Solar Permit and other beneficial information. All of these resources are wrapped into a customizable Portal containing educational resources created by Sustainable CUNY and its partners. The Map also integrates Advanced Tools for contractors, such as the forthcoming Grid Ready tool that will allow pre-screening of large properties in NYC for necessary grid upgrades to interconnect with Con Edison.

The Map and Portal are funded by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative and the NY-Sun initiative and are part of NYSolar Smart, a strategic effort led by Sustainable CUNY that supports Federal, State and NYC efforts to reduce the soft costs of installing solar in New York. CUNY works in partnership with NYPA, NYSERDA and more than 70 organizations including utility companies, installers, government agencies and industry leaders.

Come to Kingston City Hall tomorrow (May 26) and let the Public Service Commission know you support a strong Clean Energy Standard for New York without nuclear subsidies! The first session begins at 2pm (hearing at 3pm) and the second session begins at 6pm (hearing at 7pm).

On Thursday, May 26, come to Kingston City Hall and let the Public Service Commission know you support a strong Clean Energy Standard for New York without nuclear subsidies! For public hearing details and background information, see CLP’s Talking Points: http://bit.ly/201CWxP or visit http://www.citizensforlocalpower.com/upcoming-events.html.

Dear Kingston and Mid-Hudson Valley neighbors,

You are cordially invited to an evening of information about the dangers of oil-by-rail traffic in your community, as well as an opportunity to plug into the actions to resist these “bombtrains” at the Break Free action in Albany on May 14th.

We will hear from the Campaign Against the Pilgrim Pipeline, a dangerous pipeline that will greatly increase oiltrain traffic to the region, as well as other anti-fossil fuels campaigners from the area. Then we’ll get into the details of the global Break Free mobilization and engage the audience in some basic training of the tactics, tone, and legal implications of the varying kinds of participation in this action, which may well be the biggest anti-fossil fuels action on the East Coast this year. We want everyone know that this will be an amazing and historic act of community resistance to climate chaos and fossil fuels, and to please try to be there.

Join the Kingston event on Facebook

Join in for a Rally for Clean Energy and Safe Climate to mobilize the Hudson Valley, Catskills and Southern Tier at BSP in Kingston NY.

There will be anti-fracking activist and filmmaker Josh Fox, Tribal rights attorney and Honor the Earth Campaigns Director Tara Houska, environmentalist and author Bill McKibben, environmental justice organizer Anthony Rogers-Wright, local organizers and other special guests.

It’ll be a powerful, energizing afternoon – join us!

WHEN: Saturday, April 9, 2016 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Doors open at 1:30 pm.

WHERE: BSP Kingston (Kingston, NY) 323 Wall St Kingston, NY 12401
Enter via rear doors on Crown Street

WHO: Hosted by NYC Bernie Sanders Office

RSVP HERE

Exercising Caution with Large-Scale Solar Leases  to Protect Area Farmers and Other Large Land-Owners

Monday, April 4, 7 – 9 p.m.

Rosendale Community Center, 1055 Rt. 32, Rosendale, NY 12472 (near pool).

The NYS Public Service Commission has made the transition to Distributed Renewable Generation (DRG) the centerpiece of its Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) proceedings and Governor Cuomo has called for 50% renewable energy generation in New York by 2030.  While it is urgent and important to install renewables as the backbone to the emerging green energy economy, large landowners are being offered seemingly lucrative long-term leases (as much as $1,000 – $2,000 per acre per year), but which run the risk of stripping landowners of virtually all their property rights.  This forum, sponsored by the Ulster County Climate Smart Committee, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, Citizens for Local Power and many others, features attorneys, assessors, and other resource people who can advise farmers and other large landowners how to protect themselves – and what alternatives are available if they chose to develop large-scale solar on their property. This event is free and open to the public.  Please pre-register at:  www.surveymonkey.com/r/solarleases   For further information:    or .

Agenda:

• Welcome:  Jen Metzger, Rosendale Councilwoman and Co-Director of Citizens for Local Power (CLP).
• Overview:  Steve Mogel, Esq., an attorney from Sullivan County with expertise in large-scale solar lease issues.
• Update on Zoning and Related Issues:  David Church, AICP, Commissioner of Planning, Orange County, and Meister Consulting
• Tax Implications:Thomas Jackson, Director of Ulster County Real Property Tax Service Agency, and Michael Dunham, Assessor, Towns of Rosendale, Marbletown and Rochester.
• Alternatives to Solar Lease Offers; Community Solar, DRG, etc.:  Susan Gillespie, President of the Board, CLP
• Q & A Panel: With all presenters, plus Dick Riseling of Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development.   Moderated by Ulster County Legislator Manna Jo Greene, Chairman of Ulster County Climate Smart Committee.

Sponsors:  Ulster County Climate Smart Committee, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Citizens for Local Power, Hudson Valley Regional Council Sustainability Committee Energy Working Group, Orange County Planning Department, Rondout Valley Growers Association, Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development, Sustainable Hudson Valley, Ulster County Planning Department, Ulster County Real Property Tax Service Agency, and the Ulster County Association of Town Supervisors and Mayors.

Albany, New York – May 14

Dear Climate Justice Allies,

In Albany, on May 14, 2016, thousands of people will stand in the way of the fossil fuel industry in North America.  The New York State Capital has been a key center for fossil fuel distribution and bad decisions for our economy and our futures, against the wishes of the people of the City of Albany.

Representing a coalition from across the northeast, we will gather with frontline communities, including Ezra Prentice Homes, and others living in the oil train blast zone. This act of mass civil disobedience against oil trains will also stand against fracked gas pipelines (including NED, AIM and Constitution), and other fossil fuel projects, like the Pilgrim Pipeline. Many of us will participate in direct action, and many more will come to rally and stand in solidarity. How you participate is up to you, but please be there.

Break Free Action Schedule:

• Wednesday May 11th through Friday May 13th: Training Camp – Build action and organizing skills to take back to your community. Let us know what skills – direct action, organizing, etc. – you would like to see offered to benefit your local campaigns.

• Saturday May 14th: Mass Action to Stop “the Bomb Train”

Corporations and political leaders have failed to take action that matches the scale of the climate crisis we face. It’s time to lead the way to the end of the fossil fuel era, and we are the ones we have been waiting for. This action is part of the 350.org initiated Break Free From Fossil Fuels global week of action – May 7 through 14. Albany 2016 will be one of the few focal actions in the United States, complementing other actions across the country and  major actions on 5 other continents.

What you can do:

1. Sign up with your friends and family, or just plan to come;

2. Forward this email, or cut, paste, and send this call to action to your list or your community;

3. Encourage your organization to endorse the action – Get on the growing list of sponsors, email . Find current partner list at albany2016.org. Endorsing organizations are invited (but not required) to participate in planning and working groups to make this action a success.

4. Help host the Break Free Roadshow! We’ll be swinging through the region from Maine to New Jersey in March and April to fire people up and get some basic training under people’s belts before we gather in Albany. Contact jay@climatedisobedience.org to set up a tour stop in your area.

5. Share the event on Facebook and Like the Break Free Northeast Facebook Group

We’re already rolling with a “kayaktivism” training March 10 – join us. Stay tuned for dates of the Break Free Roadshow, details of the action camp schedule for Albany on May 11-13, unfolding plans for Hudson River Flotilla and other opportunities to network around the region and skill up for all of our fights back home.

Contact us at  for more information about how to plug in, and visit our website Albany2016.org to sign up for updates.

In Solidarity,

The Break Free Northeast Organizing Team

New Affordable Solar program doubles state incentives to further reduce costs of solar for income-eligible households

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced in November that it has increased access to solar for low- to moderate-income homeowners. The program, called Affordable Solar, supports Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), a strategy to build a clean, resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers.

Affordable Solar doubles the incentives for each solar project installed at the home of a low- to moderate-income resident. The double incentives are available for residential solar projects for households earning less than 80 percent of the area or state median income, who often lack access to sufficient up-front capital to purchase a solar installation.

Initial funding for the double incentives is expected to support between 2,500 and 4,500 new residential projects for low- to moderate-income households. Residential incentives currently range from 20 cents per watt to 60 cents per watt, depending on the area of the State. The low end will increase to 40 cents per watt under this program, and the high end to $1.20 per watt.

The start of the Affordable Solar program continues to expand renewable energy at customer sites in support of REV goals. Governor Cuomo first announced the program at Capital for a Day in Central New York. The incentives are available through the NY-Sun initiative, administered by NYSERDA.

“Affordable Solar expands solar energy to households most in need of the electricity cost reductions that solar provides and enables them to participate in Governor Cuomo’s REV strategy,” said John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA. “We expect to see strong interest in this program from solar installers and residents.”

Eligibility requirements for the increased incentives through Affordable Solar include household income verification and completion of an electricity energy efficiency assessment at the home. If the assessment identifies a need for more efficient lighting or hot water heating, those updates will be implemented prior to the solar installation to decrease electricity consumption.

Part of Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative, Affordable Solar is authorized to spend $13 million to achieve greater participation by low- to moderate-income customers in solar electric programs. The double incentives for low- to moderate-income homeowners will use approximately half of that funding. The other half will be used in the future to support shared solar projects for renters and others who do not have rooftops or who have rooftops that are unsuitable for solar.

Learn more about Affordable Solar online at ny-sun.ny.gov/affordablesolar.