Central Hudson Gas & Electric takes part in Solar+ Summit

Officials from Central Hudson Gas & Electric participated earlier this month in a virtual forum to discuss the direction of the renewable energy industry.

The discussion was part of the 11th annual Solar+ Summit, which took place on March 4. Nearly 100 industry stakeholders attended the event. The discussion on the direction of the renewable industry also featured experts from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Mitsubishi, and the City University of New York (CUNY).

“The Mid-Hudson Valley is one of the most active regions in New York State for solar power installations on a per capita basis,” Ryan Hawthorne, vice president of electric engineering and operations at Central Hudson, said. “When the summit began eleven years ago, there were 195 solar systems within our service area with a capacity of 1.4 megawatts (MW). Today, we have over 10,000 solar and storage installations with a capacity of 162 MW with the potential to triple that capacity in the coming years.”

Energy efficiency programs and solar integration are important initiatives that Central Hudson has undertaken to reduce carbon emissions and support the state’s climate goals. New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act targets an 85 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

“Central Hudson’s annual Solar+ Summit is a great way for NYSERDA to provide information to developers and other industry professionals on changes at the state level as well as within the renewable energy field,” John Lochner, vice president for innovation at NYSERDA, said. “Venues like this allow us to work together as we move toward achieving New York’s climate and clean energy goals.”