Clean Energy Milestone: NYC Region Surpasses 500mw Of Solar Capacity

Con Edison’s customers have connected more than 500 megawatts (MW) of solar generating capacity to Con Edison’s electric grid in the New York City region, lowering their energy bills while helping the state meet its climate and clean energy goals.

There are now more than 55,000 solar systems converting sunlight to clean power in the New York City region, including panels atop homes and businesses.

Queens is New York City’s largest solar market, with more than 18,501 customer-owned systems totaling 131 MW of capacity, followed by Staten Island (11,475 systems), Brooklyn (10,051), the Bronx (4,723) and Manhattan (388). Westchester County is also a vibrant market, with 10,380 systems in place totaling 138 MW of generating capacity.

These solar systems are owned by Con Edison’s customers, allowing New Yorkers to produce a portion of the energy they consume while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adding resiliency to the local power grid.

“In spite of the obvious challenges for solar in the New York City region, with limited space and a dense population, the solar market continues to find ways to innovate and grow,” said Joe White, Con Edison’s distributed generation ombudsman. “Solar energy saves customers money, creates local jobs, and is a critical tool in New York’s fight against climate change.”

Solar systems generate power when the sun is out, helping meet demand for electricity on hot days when air-conditioners are in widespread use in New York City. Local solar projects will help meet New York’s electricity needs as customers adopt electric vehicles and electrify the heating systems in buildings, helping the city move away from fossil fuels.

Green Jobs in the Big Apple

After the first solar system was interconnected to Con Edison’s distribution grid in 2001, it took 15 years to reach 100 MW of cumulative capacity. By 2022, the local market reached a record 89 MW of annual installations, and Con Edison expects a similar or greater level of installations to continue for the next decade or more.

The solar market has benefited from a dramatic reduction in equipment costs over the past decade, an expansion and upskilling of New York’s solar workforce, state programs and incentives for renewables, growing public awareness of climate change and clean energy technologies, and Con Edison’s efforts to streamline the interconnection process.

Con Edison is working to build a dynamic, two-way grid that will expand opportunities for customer-owned clean energy technologies, including solar energy and battery storage. The company is committed to delivering 100 percent clean energy to its customers by 2040, and supports New York’s goal of achieving a net-zero economy by 2050.

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $16 billion in annual revenues and $69 billion in assets as of December 31, 2022. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam, and serves 3.5 million customers in New York City and Westchester County. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit conEd.com. For energy efficiency information, visit coned.com/energyefficiency. Also, visit us on Twitter and Facebook.