The Village of Cooperstown, New York, has chosen Nexamp to provide community solar that will lower its electric bills and enable it to support clean energy. Nexamp’s community solar farm located in Burke, NY is a 5.8 megawatt facility featuring more than 10,000 solar panels capable of generating enough power for more than 800 average homes. The village is subscribing to an allocation from the farm that covers the power used by all of its municipal buildings.
The village analyzed different options for going solar and decided that at this time subscribing to a community solar farm was the right approach for Cooperstown. With no upfront costs and nothing to install, the village will save 11.25% on its annual electricity costs while supporting the generation of solar energy for the regional power grid.
Cooperstown’s decision to partner with Nexamp on community solar is only part of its larger effort to reduce energy consumption and embrace renewable energy options. Efforts to improve efficiency have included transitioning to LED streetlights and interior lights at Village Hall, improving insulation in municipal buildings, and upgrading heating systems to provide for more efficient operation. The Village has additionally installed two electric vehicle chargers in the Doubleday Field parking lot.
Ellen Tillapaugh, Mayor of the Village of Cooperstown, said, “As a village with such a rich history that attracts visitors from all over the world, we want to be leading by example on sustainability while preserving the look and feel of our renowned landscape. Community solar enables us to embrace the benefits of renewables on a larger scale than individual installations would. The fact that we will realize significant savings on our energy costs is an important added benefit.”
“There are so many immediate and long-term benefits for municipalities that choose to participate in a community solar program,” noted Joe Fiori, Director of Energy Sales, Nexamp. “Cooperstown clearly has a vision for the future through its commitment to sustainability. By partnering with us, the village is taking a bold step in supporting renewable energy and making it easier for others to access the many benefits of solar.”
Nexamp has dozens of community solar farms in operation or under construction across New York and hundreds across the country. The company, founded by two U.S. Army veterans, has been providing comprehensive solar and energy storage solutions to consumers, businesses, and municipalities for more than a decade. With New York committed to generating 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, community solar will play an important role for the state.
Community solar allows anyone in its service area—from homeowners or renters to municipalities, small businesses or non-profits—to subscribe to a share of the farm and receive bill credits that reduce their monthly electric costs. Because there is no fee to enroll, subscribers are able to take advantage of the program with no risk. For more information on Nexamp’s community solar programs, visit www.nexamp.com/community-solar.