DSD Renewables (DSD) and The City of White Plains completed the construction of a nine-site, 6.8-MW community solar portfolio, the largest municipal solar energy deployment in Westchester County, N.Y. The portfolio is expected to generate 8,100 MWh of clean energy annually, tripling the amount of solar energy produced in Westchester County and enough to power more than 700 homes each year.
The New York Power Authority (NYPA) was the City’s energy advisor for the project. Boston-based Perch Energy will manage the community solar subscriptions. The portfolio consists of solar canopy, solar rooftop and solar ground-mount installations at four parking garages, Gillie Park, the Ebersole Ice Rink, Gedney Way Recycling Facility, Water Storage Site and the Sanitation Complex.
An Energy storage systems (ESS) totaling 1.76 MW / 8 MWh was also installed at the Recycling Facility and the Shapham Place parking garage.
“Public-private partnerships will drive the proliferation of clean-energy projects through New York State creating a robust renewable energy market,” said White Plains Mayor Roach. “I am grateful to NYPA and DSD for their counsel and collaboration during this project.”
Project innovations
The City, as well as residents and local businesses subscribed to the community solar project, will receive a 10% discount for credits applied to their energy bill. Between energy cost savings and lease payments for hosting the systems, the installations are expected to deliver approximately $1M in value annually to the City of White Plains.
The projects incorporated several infrastructure improvements, such as a new roof for the Ebersole Ice Rink and an innovative enclosed solar canopy storage area for the water department, which avoided significant capital spending by the city. The canopies across many sites feature a proprietary integrated water management system that manages water from rain and snow melt.
At the Gedney Way Recycling Facility, DSD’s innovative solar canopy team designed the first floating foundation canopy mounted on a landfill cap. Additionally, two solar canopy systems at the site incorporate sidewalls to store and protect city equipment.
“We’re honored to be a part of a portfolio that has been so transformational for the City of White Plains,” says David Eisenbud, Senior Director of Business Development for DSD’s Origination group. “Our expertise and design capabilities have enabled us to overcome the challenges of delivering clean energy systems, with such significant energy capacity, to a dense urban area. This unique portfolio positions the city as a leader in solar adoption and shows other communities what is possible when it comes to clean energy.”
Tags: carports, commercial and industrial, Community Solar, DSD Renewables
