The Village of Brockport made the switch to solar energy in 2019, allowing the reallocation of funds previously budgeted for rising municipal electric bills. GreenSpark Solar, a 20-year-old renewable energy company, located in Ontario, New York, installed nearly 2MW of solar energy for Brockport as well as the villages of Lima and Sodus Point in partnership with Kendall Sustainable Infrastructure (KSI).
“It is a great privilege to work with our local municipal leaders who take meaningful action to address the carbon footprint of our communities. Solar is a better, cheaper alternative to purchasing utility power, and it requires great local leaders to have the foresight to bring these projects to fruition,” said Kevin Schulte, CEO of GreenSpark Solar. “These three solar projects represent the opportunity for every municipality in New York to go solar in an effort to think globally and act locally.”
Brockport Mayor Margay Blackman championed the project. She started the process of going solar years ago, but it wasn’t until 2018 that Blackman put pen to paper with GreenSpark to move forward with a 650kW project located at the village’s capped landfill. The village is expected to save more than $300,000 through the 25-year warranty of the solar array, and even more beyond that time. The project went live in December of 2019, and the first year of operation will see nearly $15,000 of savings.
“We were very happy that we could include our tri-municipal library and the Brockport Fire District on our solar array,” said Blackman, who has led the charge on several solar energy initiatives for the village. “We look forward to offering Community Distributed Generation to Brockport residents in the future and completing the buyback of over 400 street lights, which will all be outfitted with LED lights to save even more.”
The design, development, and construction of the project was made possible by a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between the village and KSI, who provided the funds necessary for GreenSpark to design and build the project. With KSI as the owner of the solar array, the village was able to receive the benefits of solar energy with $0 capital investment. The municipality agreed to lease the land used for the project and will purchase the energy produced by the solar array at an established price for 25 years. The village began saving money immediately, from the moment the array began producing clean, local power.
John Chaimanis, Managing Director of KSI noted, “One of our specialties is providing the capital that allows municipalities to participate in solar, with no money down, and in a way that actually reduces their operating costs.”
“The best part is working with outstanding partners like GreenSpark, and knowing that we are an integral part of creating great jobs and helping local businesses grow,” added Ken Lehman, also a Managing Director of KSI.
GreenSpark Solar applied for and received grants on behalf of all three villages separately through the NY-Sun Initiative, which is administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The NY-Sun Initiative is part of Governor Cuomo’s commitment to combating climate change and lowering energy costs for all New Yorkers. New York’s Clean Energy Standard recently increased from 50 to 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030, making it one of the most aggressive clean energy goals in the country. This commitment expands the clean energy economy in New York, creating local jobs.
GreenSpark Solar, along with KSI and the Village of Brockport, will be holding a celebration at the now solar-powered Seymour Library this spring.
Provided information and photo
