ALBANY, NY— The New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES or Office) today issued a final siting permit for ConnectGen Chautauqua County LLC’s South Ripley Solar to develop, design, construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a 270-megawatt (MW) solar electric generating facility including a 20 MW battery energy storage system in the Town of Ripley, Chautauqua County.

This solar facility is expected to generate enough clean energy to power over 60,000 New York homes and reduce carbon emissions by over 280,000 metric tons, which is equivalent to taking nearly 65,000 cars off the road. This project and other major renewable energy facilities permitted and currently under ORES review are vital to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s (CLCPA) aggressive carbon reduction and clean energy targets to combat climate change.

The Office’s decision for this facility follows a timely, detailed and transparent review process with robust public participation to ensure the proposed project meets or exceeds the requirements of Executive Law § 94-c and its implementing regulations.

Office of Renewable Energy Siting Executive Director Houtan Moaveni said, “The announcement today is another example of the State's continued commitment to supporting regional economic development and creating jobs. The Office remains committed to working closely with all stakeholders throughout the development of all major renewable energy facilities across the State.”

This solar facility is expected to provide over $16 million in the first 20 years to the counties, towns and school districts in in the form of payment-in-lieu of taxes (PILOT) and host community agreements to invest in infrastructure, additional services, and resources for residents in the communities hosting the facility. Further, this solar facility is expected to spur about $380 million in capital investment and create over 250 short and long-term jobs.

Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Office’s website at https://ores.ny.gov/permit-applications.

New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan

New York State's nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues fostering a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $35 billion in 120 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.8 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2021 and a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with nearly 400 registered and 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution and combat climate change.

About ORES

The Office of Renewable Energy Siting ORES is the first-of-its-kind state agency dedicated solely to environmentally responsible and cost-effective siting of renewable energy facilities and was established by the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act in April 2020. The Office consolidates the environmental review and permitting of major renewable energy facilities to ensure that siting decisions are predictable, responsible, and done in a timely manner with input from local governments and host communities. On March 3, 2021, the Office adopted comprehensive regulations including a set of uniform standards and conditions to implement the Act. The Office is designed to enable New York to obtain 70 percent of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2030, as required under New York's nation-leading climate plan, enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. For more information on ORES, please visit www.ores.ny.gov.