Preparing Your Municipality for

Growth in Solar

Pace Land Use Law Center

October 23, 2015

Catalyzing Growth in the Solar Market

Nina Orville

Pace Land Use Law Center

October 23, 2015

Solarize Westchester

• Supported by NYSERDA through NY-Sun.

• Part of NYS strategy to move from incentives

to building robust markets for clean energy.

• Designed to catalyze and strengthen the solar

market in Westchester to capture clean,

renewable energy, energy cost savings, and

local jobs.

Solarize Westchester Team

Energy Improvement Corporation – Prime Contractor,

EnergizeNY Finance

Abundant Efficiency - Program Manager

Sustainable Westchester - Solarize Campaigns

SmartPower - Solarize Campaigns

Croton Energy Group - Permitting and Zoning

Pace Law School - Permitting

and Zoning

• As much solar installed in 2014 as in the last 3 years combined.

• Almost 600 solar companies in New York, employing 7,300 people.

• In 2014, NYS ranked 7th for amount of solar installed that year.

• There is enough solar energy installed in the state to power 88,000

homes.

New York’s Solar Landscape

• Average installed photovoltaic

system prices in New York have

fallen by 14% in the last

year. (National Prices have also

dropped steadily- by 6% from

last year and 53% from 2010.)

Note: Above from SEIA.org

Westchester’s Solar Landscape

• Westchester is # 4 in

NYS for PV

installations

• Sales tax exemption

for residential and

commercial PV

systems (a few cities

collect local taxes).

• Permitting and

zoning vary

tremendously by

municipality.

Solarize Campaigns

Aggregate demand for

solar during time limited

campaigns in particular

communities.

Solar-Friendly

Permitting & Zoning

Support municipalities in

the adoption of

streamlined and vetted

processes.

Solarize Westchester Program Components

Solar-Friendly Permitting and Zoning

Goals

• Baseline data from Westchester County’s municipalities

regarding permitting/zoning (Municipal Survey). (For most

will be available on www.SolarRoadMap.com)

• Encourage adoption of the Solar-Specific Permit by

Westchester municipalities.

• Support for municipalities in reducing zoning restrictions

through technical assistance provided by the Land Use Law

Center.

• All resulting in solar-friendly environment in Westchester.

Solarize Westchester Campaigns

• Four campaigns in each of

two rounds – communities

are competitively selected.

• Residential AND

commercial.

• Single installer per

campaign per market

(residential/commercial)

• Community teams comprise elected officials, municipal staff

and volunteers.

Solarize Westchester Campaigns

• Uses group purchasing model,

with installers chosen by

community with prequalification

by NYSERDA and support from

Solarize Westchester.

• Community support reduces

installer costs – those savings are

shared with customers through

lower prices.

• Tiered pricing rewards community

participation – everyone benefits!

• Time-limited campaign – 18

weeks.

Solarize Campaigns - Residential

Bedford-Mt. Kisco, Cortlandt-Croton, Larchmont-Mamaroneck, Ossining-Briarcliff,

Hastings-Dobbs Ferry, Rye Brook, Somers-New Castle, Tarrytown

Round 1 Results - Residential

By the numbers…………

- Over 1,200 inquiries

- 200 contracts

- Over 1.4 MW of solar energy contracted

- 150% increase over 2014 installations (over 1,000%

increase for one campaign) during 18-week campaigns.

Exceeded overall program goals with residential alone…

Commercial-focused event for each campaign

Commercial Solarize

Round 1 Results - Commercial

By the numbers…………

- 100 inquiries

- 8 contracts

- 320 MW of solar energy contracted

- Additional 5+ in LOI or similar – well over 500 KW

Leveraging Program Components

• Solar market and interactions between that market

and local jurisdictions are both dynamic.

• Municipal support and engagement are critical to

maximize benefits – environmental, economic

development - for their communities and

constituents.

• Solarize Westchester designed to support sustained

growth in solar markets while addressing municipal

interests/needs – much more support is available!

Thank you!

Nina Orville

Program Manager, Solarize Westchester

Principal, Abundant Efficiency

Nina@AbundantEfficiency.com

914-693-6222

www.SolarizeWestchester.com