Promoting community solar earns village $5,000 state grant

The Village of Warwick has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for completing a campaign to promote community solar.

Because this was the fourth high-impact action the Village of Warwick completed, the municipality has earned the Clean Energy Community (CEC) designation and an additional $5,000 grant from NYSERDA.

To earn this community solar grant, the village worked in partnership with Sustainable Warwick on the Triple Win Community Solar campaign. Residents had the opportunity to sign up with a community solar provider affiliated with the campaign, Astral Power or Solstice.

Upon enrolling, community solar customers will start saving up to 10% on their monthly electricity bills. In addition, during the Triple Win campaign, residents received a $100 sign-up bonus as well as the opportunity to select a local nonprofit to receive $100.

“The Village has been working toward its Clean Energy Community designation for several years and it’s a wonderful achievement,” Warwick Mayor Michael Newhard said in the press release detailing the grant. “It clearly defines our goals for sustainability as well as renewable energy resources.”

‘A triple won’

For the village to earn the $5,000 grant for its community solar campaign, it had to sign up a minimum of 10 residents between early June and mid-July.

“More than 35 households have signed up through the Triple Win campaign, and that number is still growing, “added Michael Helme of Sustainable Warwick. “That means our nonprofit partners - the Warwick Valley Humane Society, the Town of Warwick Historical Society, Safe Space America, Family Central, the Warwick Valley Community Center, and Grow Local Greenwood Lake - will collectively receive more than $3,500 in donations from Astral Power and Solstice. The campaign has been good for the environment, good for the residents and good for the nonprofits - a triple win!”

The successful solar campaign was led by Newhard, Helme and Village Trustee Corey Bachman.

Essentials

Almost all O&R customers who do not have their solar panels are eligible to sign up for community solar, but the sign-up bonuses may get smaller over time.

To learn more about community solar, email cleanenergy@sustainablewarwick.org.