Con Edison hits solar energy production milestone

More than 26,000 Con Edison customers in New York City and Westchester County have installed solar panels, producing some 250-megawatt (MW) of solar energy.

Also, another 3,300 customers have solar installations in the works, which would account for another 100 MW of solar production. Residential customers account for about 90 percent of the projects and 50 percent of the overall capacity.

“When the first solar panels were installed in Westchester in 2001, the dynamic between the utility and the customer changed forever. It required a new business model and spurred ideas that informed the grid of future,” Matthew Ketschke, senior vice president of Customer Energy Solutions, said. “Solar technology allowed us to redefine our relationship with customers, reconfigure our energy delivery system, and rethink ways to improve reliability, affordability, and sustainability.”

The 250 MWs is a major milestone for the company. Since 2013, the amount of solar production at Con Edison has increased 600 percent from 34 MW to 250 MW. Con Edison is one of the largest solar providers in North America with 2,600 MW of renewable (solar and wind) assets in 17 states.

Also, Con Edison’s Shared Solar program will enable even more customers to participate in solar energy. The company plans to install panels on the roofs of its buildings and make the power available to low-income customers.