Con Edison proposes installing solar panels on New York City Housing Authority developments

Con Edison has proposed installing solar panels on 350 roofs for low and moderate income customers living in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments.

The goal of Con Edison’s Community Power project is to bring renewable energy within reach of those who ordinarily lack the means. It could save each resident as much as $78 a year on energy bills, by Con Edison estimations. The proposed 1-megawatt solar initiative will avoid the emission of more than 1.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

“The NYCHA tenants who participate will get the benefits of renewable energy without the upfront costs that can make solar energy challenging to afford,” Margarett Jolly, director of Demonstration Projects for Con Edison, said. “We want all our customers to have access to solar energy, energy efficiency and other products and services that technology is making possible.”

Other Con Edison customers participating in the program will get a share of the solar energy produced in their community, which could result in up to 15 percent savings from their normal energy costs. A subscription fee gets them access, and is in turn greeted with a discount or credit on their monthly bills. Currently, the project is slated to last three years, but participating households would save money for the 25-year life of the panels.

The project follows the Community Distributed Generation concept, under which a third party owns solar panels and subscribers – who do not necessarily live in the buildings with the panels – get the energy. This model makes it possible for renters in multi-family buildings to get solar energy, even though they do not own or control their roofs, Con Edison explained.