Renewable Properties announced that two of its first community solar projects in New York, part of a planned portfolio of 70 MW, came online in June and July of this year.

The first completed projects include the ​​5.7-MW Bullis Road Solar project in the Marilla and the 4.9-MW Rock Island Road Solar project in ​Gouverneur. Two additional community solar projects, Slayton Settlement Solar A & B, in Lockport, will commence construction by the end of Q3 2022.

Renewable Properties makes it a priority to work closely with the communities where its projects are located. In the the Slayton Settlement portfolio, the community was concerned that siting the projects on a third-generation organic dairy farm would result in a loss of agricultural production. To alleviate these concerns, Renewable Properties has committed to building the site as an agrivoltaics project that will employ the area’s sheep farmers for ground cover vegetation management. Renewable Properties is also designating part of the solar site for bee boxes. These added measures will support the region’s cultivation of honey, wool, lamb meat, and other related products, enhancing the agricultural production value of the property. In addition, the project will allow the landowner to keep the farm in his family. When completed in mid-2023, the two Slayton Settlement arrays will also improve the reliability of grid infrastructure, provide renewable energy to community subscribers, and advance New York State’s aggressive renewable energy goals.

“We are proud to serve New Yorkers with a growing pipeline of community solar projects that allow anyone anywhere to benefit from local clean energy,” said Aaron Halimi, Renewable Properties founder and president. “These solar projects will also benefit the landowners where they are sited via lease payments, as well as the surrounding communities with taxes, jobs and other economic benefits.”

Renewable Properties, which owns the projects, partnered with Borrego to build the Rock Island project and with United Renewable Energy (URE) on the Bullis Road and Slayton Settlement projects.

Another 9.3 MW of community solar projects in Batavia and the Village of Minoa are scheduled to receive their notice to proceed by the end of Q4 2022. Renewable Properties has another 40 MW in earlier stages of development in the Marilla, Vestal, Oswego, Valatie and East Syracuse, New York areas.

News item from Renewable Properties