Community Solar Campaigns
What is a community solar campaign and why should my municipality start one?
Completing a NYSERDA Clean Energy Communities (CEC) Community Campaign can be an effective way to encourage adoption of community solar in your municipality while earning points in the CEC and Climate Smart Communities programs for your municipality. A community solar campaign can help residents save money on their electricity bill while advancing state and local clean energy goals. Campaigns are typically short-term, local efforts that bring together groups of potential customers through widespread outreach and education.
How do I start a community solar campaign?
To get credit from NYSERDA in the CEC program for completing a campaign, you will first need to fill out and submit a Scoping Document before you start counting sign-ups from residents. A template can be found in the CEC Campaign toolkit. Please reach out to your CEC Coordinator for assistance in starting a campaign and completing a scoping document. Find your Mid-Hudson CEC Coordinator here. If you live elsewhere in the state, you can use this list to find a coordinator. After it is submitted, NYSERDA will review the scoping document and provide notification by email if the campaign may proceed.
How will my municipality get credit from NYSERDA for our community solar campaign?
To get credit for completing a community solar campaign in your municipality, you will need to sign residents up for community solar (10 residents if your community is under 40,000 people and 25 if it is over 40,000 people). The customer list (template provided in the CEC Campaign toolkit) must include the location, name of the installer/supplier, and the date the customer signed a contract. You will also need to show proof of municipal participation in the campaign. Documentation should be dated and include the name of the applying jurisdiction, and may consist of one or more of the following: a press release, a flyer from an event hosted by the jurisdiction, a website screenshot, a local press article, a certified resolution, or comparable information.
How should my municipality choose community solar providers as partners?
The below list of Community Solar providers have expressed interest in assisting municipalities with a NYSERDA CEC Community Solar Campaign. HVRC asked them for details on how they could assist with these campaigns and we have published that information here. These are the providers who responded to HVRC’s request for information and by no means is this a comprehensive list. For more options, please see the NYSERDA Community Solar Project Map.
HVRC provides impartial technical assistance and does not promote companies or services. All community solar providers were offered the opportunity to be featured here. If you are a community solar provider that would like to be featured here, please contact: epeck@hudsonvalleyrc.org and we would be glad to include you.
Community solar array on the roof of the Ebersole Ice Rink in White Plains courtesy of DSD Renewables