The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Nexamp, Incorporated (Nexamp) today announced the completion of Nexamp’s 2.6 megawatt community solar project in the Town of Seneca, of which one megawatt will be used to provide no-cost solar subscriptions in New York State Electric and Gas Corporation’s (NYSEG) utility territory. Nexamp Seneca was one of nine projects awarded contracts last December under the first round of the state’s Solar for All program. The project supports Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Green New Deal and proposed new mandate for 70 percent of the state’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030 and complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development.

Alicia Barton, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, “As New York builds on its aggressive efforts to combat climate change under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, NYSERDA is proud to be advancing the Solar for All program to make sure our most underserved homeowners and renters have greater access to renewable energy sources like solar. Nexamp and other Solar for All developers continue to make solar a reality for more New Yorkers.”

Administered by NYSERDA as part of Governor Cuomo’s $1 billion NY-Sun program, the Solar for All program is designed to provide no-cost community solar to 10,000 low-income homeowners and renters in support of the state’s ongoing efforts to make renewable energy more accessible to all New Yorkers. Solar For All offers eligible low-income households the opportunity to subscribe to a community solar project in their area without any upfront costs or participation fees. Through the Solar for All program, the Nexamp Seneca project will reserve approximately 20 percent of project capacity, up to 1 megawatt, for eligible homeowners and renters to subscribe. Today’s announcement was made at a ribbon cutting for the project which will serve customers in NYSEG’s Central New York region as well as the rest of NYSEG’s utility territory.

“Making the benefits of solar accessible to everyone is core to our mission as a company,” notes Zaid Ashai, CEO of Nexamp, “so being selected as a NYSERDA Solar for All partner is a meaningful achievement for us. New York is leading the way in its commitment to carbon-free electricity, and community solar promises to be a central part of the solution. Deploying local, renewable resources that enable that all residents, regardless of income, to participate and reduce their energy costs is a goal that Nexamp and NYSERDA share.”

Eligibility for Solar for All is based on a resident’s location, household income, and annual electric usage. For more information on Solar for All eligibility and to sign up, homeowners and renters are encouraged to visit: www.nyserda.ny.gov/solarforall. NYSERDA will launch a second round of the program later this year, which will expand the number of households and areas served.

Customers not eligible for the Solar for All program can subscribe through Nexamp directly at www.solarforny.com and save 10 percent on utility costs for the life of the project.

Nexamp, which was also awarded a contract in the first round of awards for their 5.6 megawatt community solar project in the Town of Rochester in Ulster County, expects to have more than 20 community solar farms operating or under construction throughout New York by the end of 2019. The company, which owns and operates solar projects across the country, addresses the entire community solar project lifecycle, from design and construction through ongoing maintenance, operations, and customer management.

New York State’s Green New Deal

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Green New Deal, the nation’s leading clean energy and jobs agenda, will aggressively put New York State on a path to economy-wide carbon neutrality This initiative will provide for a just transition to clean energy, spurring the growth of the green economy and mandating New York’s power be 100 percent clean and carbon-free by 2040, one of the most aggressive goals in the U.S. The cornerstone of this newly proposed mandate is a significant increase of New York’s successful Clean Energy Standard to 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030. As part of the unprecedented ramp-up of renewable energy, New York has already invested $2.9 billion into 46 large-scale renewable projects across the state as it significantly increases its clean energy targets, such as: quadrupling New York’s offshore wind target to a nation-leading 9,000 megawatts by 2035; doubling distributed solar deployment to 6,000 megawatts by 2025; and deploying 3,000 megawatts of energy storage by 2030. To support this ambitious work, NY Green Bank intends to use its expertise in overcoming financing gaps to foster greater environmental impacts per public dollar by raising over $1 billion in third party funds to expand climate financing availability across New York and the rest of North America.

Reforming the Energy Vision

The Green New Deal builds on Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s landmark Reforming the Energy Vision strategy to lead on climate change and grow New York’s economy. REV is building a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers by stimulating investment in clean technologies like solar, wind, and energy efficiency. Already, REV has driven growth of nearly 1,500 percent in the statewide solar market, improved energy affordability for 1.65 million low-income customers, and has led to more than 150,000 jobs in manufacturing, engineering, and other clean tech sectors across New York State.

Accelerating Finger Lakes Forward

Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The State has already invested more than $6.1 billion in the region since 2012 to lay the groundwork for the plan – investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture? and food production, and advanced manufacturing. Today, unemployment is down to the lowest levels since before the Great Recession; personal and corporate income taxes are down; and businesses are choosing places like Rochester, Batavia and Canandaigua as a destination to grow and invest in.

Now, the region is accelerating Finger Lakes Forward with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015.

About NYSERDA

NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation, offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and funding to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA professionals work to protect the environment and create clean-energy jobs. NYSERDA has been developing partnerships to advance innovative energy solutions in New York State since 1975. To learn more about NYSERDA’s programs and funding opportunities, visit nyserda.ny.gov.

About Nexamp

Nexamp is leading the transformation to the new energy economy with proven solutions for the deployment and operation of solar energy assets. Our comprehensive capabilities span the entire solar project lifecycle—from project development, design and construction, through financing, operations and maintenance. Our integrated, best-in class solutions make solar energy simple and profitable for our clients and partners and make an impact every day. With a rapidly expanding network of property owners, businesses, communities and residents benefitting from our growing portfolio of solar assets across the US, Nexamp and our partners are laying the groundwork for a cleaner, more secure energy future. Visit us at www.solarforny.com.

For Media Inquiries:

Keith Hevenor

khevenor@nexamp.com

978-496-0098