Disseminated on behalf of PowerBank Corporation.
New York State is moving quickly to increase its use of clean energy. The state has set strong new goals to add up to 7 gigawatts (GW) of solar, wind, and battery storage capacity by 2030. This is part of New York’s plan to have 70% of its electricity come from renewable sources by 2030 and to reach 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040.
These targets come from the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), a law that guides the state’s climate strategy.
A key part of the strategy is community solar. This type of solar project lets many people and businesses enjoy the benefits without installing panels on their own property. New York is a leader in community solar, with over 2 GW of capacity already online and many more projects in progress statewide.
How Community Solar Supports New York’s Clean Energy Plans
Community solar projects are designed to include groups that might struggle to install solar panels themselves. People who rent their homes, families with low incomes, and households without usable roofs can all join these projects.
Members get credits on their electricity bills based on the amount of solar power their share produces. This helps lower monthly energy costs and makes clean energy more affordable.
New York aims to increase community solar projects owned by public entities, like local governments. This will provide clean power that goes directly into the grid. These projects also provide bill credits to subscribers, allowing more people to benefit from renewable energy without incurring upfront costs.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) reports that New York accounted for one-third of all new community solar installations in the U.S. in 2023.
There are now more than 500 community solar projects either operating or being developed in the state. This rapid growth shows how community solar is already a key part of the state’s clean energy future.
Moreover, the U.S. community solar market is set to double. By 2029, Wood Mackenzie expects 7.3 GWdc of new installations in state programs. This will raise total capacity above 14 GWdc.
Growth is expected to average 5% each year until 2026. After that, it may drop to 11% annually until 2029 as mature markets become saturated.
Turning Landfills into Clean Energy: PowerBank’s Geddes Project
PowerBank Corporation, a company focused on clean energy, plays an active role in New York’s solar development. Recently, PowerBank completed a 3.79-megawatt (MW) community solar project on a capped landfill in the Town of Geddes. This solar farm now supplies clean electricity to the grid and produces enough energy to power roughly 450 homes each year.
The project benefits from the NY-Sun program, which is run by the NYSERDA. Since 2011, NY-Sun has delivered over $1.8 billion in solar incentives across the state. These incentives lower the cost of solar projects. This makes it easier for developers to build them and for communities to access.
Using closed landfills for solar energy is smart because these sites can be difficult to develop for other purposes. They are often large and no longer in use, making them good places for solar panels without taking away farmland or natural areas.
PowerBank’s Geddes project proves that solar systems can be built even on complex sites that need extra permits and engineering work. This solar farm is the largest PowerBank project in the U.S. so far.
The Company has plans to expand its portfolio in New York. This includes a 14.4-MW project in Skaneateles and a 5.4-MW project at Boyle Road that are under development.
PowerBank has developed more than 100 MW of renewable energy projects and has roughly 1 GW of projects in its development pipeline.
- SEE MORE (SolarBank is the former PowerBank):
The Importance of Public-Private Partnerships
Achieving New York’s clean energy goals requires teamwork between public agencies and private companies. The state will own some solar projects. Meanwhile, private developers like PowerBank bring the skills, experience with permits, and funds needed to plan, build, and run solar farms.
Local governments and utilities help find great spots for solar power. This includes sites like landfills, brownfields, and other unused lands. Focusing on these spaces lets communities create clean energy. This approach avoids harming farmland or protected nature areas.
PowerBank’s success with landfill solar puts the company in a good position to take advantage of this approach as New York expands its clean energy programs. In addition to providing electricity, such projects can also support community benefits.
These may include offering solar subscriptions specifically to low-income households, working with local schools on clean energy education, and creating job training programs to prepare workers for employment in solar installation and maintenance.
Growth Opportunities and Broader Impact
New York’s climate law has sparked big investments in renewable energy. It also improves the electric grid to manage more clean power. The state now wants to increase the number of local solar projects. These allow communities and residents to directly benefit from clean energy and lower bills.
Solar projects on landfills were once rare, but they might soon become common. Many states are seeing the value of using such underutilized land for clean energy.
A 2024 report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that over 10,000 landfills in the United States could host solar panels. Altogether, these landfills could produce up to 60 GW of electricity — enough to power 10 million homes.
PowerBank’s 3.79-MW Geddes project is just a small piece of this nationwide potential, but it shows how landfill solar can work in practice. The company is well-positioned to partner with public agencies and communities on similar projects in the future.
PowerBank can support clean energy in other ways, too. It can help connect clean energy with education, community engagement, and workforce development while building solar farms.
Overall, New York is advancing rapidly toward its ambitious clean energy goals. Community solar and the smart use of unused land, like landfills, will continue to play a vital role. Private developers like PowerBank bring the experience and capital needed to transform policies into real projects.
These efforts will help New York cut greenhouse gas emissions. They will also lower energy costs for residents and boost local economies. As the state redefines what public clean energy can look like, Powerbank will play a key role in turning policy into real-world results.
- READ MORE: PowerBank Embraces Bitcoin and Tokenized Energy in Bold Treasury Shift to Digital Finance
Please refer to “Forward-Looking Statements” in the press release entitled “Bitcoin Purchases to be made by SolarBank Using Net Cash from Geddes Solar Power Project” for additional discussion of the assumptions and risk factors associated with the statements in this report.
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