40 MW Clean Energy Project Will Produce Enough Clean Electricity for 8,000 Average-Sized Homes Annually to Combat Climate Change

Solar Farm Will Generate up to $3.6 Million in Local Property Tax Revenues Over 30 Years

Project Expected to Create 140 Construction Jobs Paying $8.3 Million in Wages

Advances New York State’s Aggressive Clean Energy and Climate Goals for 70 Percent of

Energy to Come from Renewable Energy Sources by 2030

ALBANY — The New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment (Siting Board) today granted approval to Hecate Energy Albany 1 LLC and Hecate Energy Albany 2 LLC to construct and operate a 40 megawatt (MW) solar farm in the Town of Coeymans, Albany County. The Siting Board’s decision follows a detailed review and robust public participation process to ensure that the solar farm meets or exceeds all siting requirements. This solar farm and other solar and wind projects currently under development are vital to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s (CLCPA) aggressive carbon reduction and clean energy targets to combat climate change.

“With this action, we continue to deliver on Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s nation-leading strategy for carbon reduction and a clean-energy economy, and to develop new clean energy resources in New York,” said Siting Board Chair John B. Rhodes. “This approval of the Hecate Energy solar facility will benefit all New Yorkers by reducing dependence on fossil fuels, boosting clean energy investment and jobs and improving our environment.” 

According to the developer, the 40 MW project is expected to create 140 construction jobs that will pay $8.3 million in wages, and opportunities for local construction and construction supply vendors. The solar farm will result in annual payments to local landowners in association with the lease and easement agreements. The developer expects to execute a PILOT agreement with local municipalities over the next 30 years valued at $3.6 million in total.

The facility will be located between State Route 9 W and County Route 101. It will be constructed on a portion of approximately 436 acres of privately leased farmland and will include numerous arrays of ground-mounted photovoltaic solar panels.

Upon commercial operation, the facility is expected to annually generate 73,000 megawatt hours of electricity and to reduce the annual statewide emissions by approximately 54,738 tons of CO2, the equivalent of taking over 10,500 cars off the road. Hecate Albany worked closely with the community throughout this proceeding. Local residents and officials unanimously support the facility, and nearly all the parties to the proceeding reached an agreement on the certificate conditions that will govern its construction and operation. The solar panels would be connected to the bulk electric transmission system through underground collection lines and will interconnect with the existing National Grid 115 kV Long Lane-Lafarge transmission line at two locations, both located in the southern portion of the project site.

After reviewing the agreed-upon certificate conditions submitted by most of the parties, the Siting Board examiners determined that the solar farm will be consistent with the energy policies and long-range planning objectives and strategies contained in the most recent State Energy Plan.

Based on this, and based on its consideration of other relevant social, economic and other factors, the Siting Board determined that the project will be a beneficial addition to the electric generation capacity of the State, and will also serve the goals of improving fuel diversity, grid reliability, and modernization of grid infrastructure.

Hecate Energy’s formal application to the Siting Board was deemed compliant on Jan. 22, 2020. The 15 parties to the proceeding included several state agencies and a labor group. The record includes nearly 20 public comments. The Siting Board held an on-the-record public statement hearing and conducted evidentiary hearings at which expert and factual testimony was taken.

Today’s Siting Board decision demonstrates how New York is working to achieve Governor Cuomo's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Enshrined into law through the CLCPA, New York is on a path to achieving its mandated goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented ramp-up of clean energy including a $3.9 billion investment in 67 large-scale renewable projects across the state, the creation of more than 150,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector, a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035, and 1,800 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while meeting a goal to deliver 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities, and advancing progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 TBTUs.

Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Documents section of the Department of Public Service’s Web site at www.dps.ny.gov and entering Case Number 17-F-0617 (Hecate Energy) in the input box labeled "Search for Case/Matter Number." Siting Board documents may also be obtained from the Commission’s Files Office, 14th floor, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223 (518-474-2500). If you have difficulty understanding English, please call 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this press release.