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Solar Projects

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The City of Kingston is currently working on several solar projects.

Kingston is a designated Clean Energy Community and a Silver Certified Climate Smart Community. In our 2030 Climate Action Plan, we committed to achieving 100% renewable electricity in municipal operations by 2030. City staff also worked with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Cadmus, to develop a Roadmap to 100% Renewable Energy, a plan which outlines the energy transition for Kingston.

In September 2023, the City of Kingston received a Bronze designation from the U.S. Department of Energy’s SolSmart program for encouraging the growth of clean, affordable solar energy at the local level.

Solar at Municipal Buildings:

In August 2022, the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center was the first municipal building to install a large-scale municipal solar panel array. The solar panel system on the roof at the AMNC meets 110% of the demand of the entire building’s electricity usage, and are connected to the SolarEdge app, which reports real-time energy production, along with historical data to date.

Funding for solar at the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center came from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)’s Clean Energy Communities Program, with additional support from the Kingston Common Council to match grant funds.

Several municipal buildings are currently equipped with smaller systems, including two ground mounted systems at the Forsyth Nature Center, and two community solar projects – one in partnership with Pointe of Praise Church, and the other on Albany Avenue with partner Radio Kingston.

Through the Municipal Buildings Energy Efficiency Upgrades Project, City Hall and the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center will be converted into fossil fuel-free buildings. The historic structures will become clean energy hubs and achieve carbon neutrality by using solar, heat pumps, and a thermal energy network. The project will add more solar power and onsite EV charging and install stormwater and thermal infrastructure. Upon completion, there will be no systems using fossil fuels and both buildings will have highly efficient envelopes. Upgrades will also improve resiliency from climate impacts such as heat waves, severe storms, flooding and power outages. Final designs will be completed in 2024 and construction will take place in 2025.

First Avenue Solar Field:

In addition, Kingston has been awarded eight New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Clean Energy Communities Program grants, totaling $847,000, toward a solar installation on City property. The grants will fund a project to install a ground mount solar array at 514-528 First Avenue in Kingston. The First Avenue Yard is an empty city-owned parcel, which the Department of Public Works has been working to level in preparation for the installation. The energy generated from the over 400-panel solar array will be used to remotely power over 300,000 kWh of City municipal accounts, with installation likely occurring in 2025.

This funding was awarded to the City in recognition of the years of leadership in implementing high-impact clean energy actions, including upgrading the City fleet to electric, swapping out the City’s streetlights for LED, adopting the NYStretch Energy Code, and much more. The City of Kingston is currently the highest-ranking Clean Energy City in NYS, and the second highest ranking overall community statewide after Croton-on-Hudson.

Current conditions at 514-528 First Ave.

More information on the Kingston Community Solar, including eligibility and registration, visit www.kingstoncommunityenergy.org/solar.

For more information on the City of Kingston’s sustainability initiatives, please visit https://kingston-ny.gov/sustainability.

Interested in solarizing your home or business? You can access a Solar Guidebook and Kingston’s Solar Permit here.

The City of Kingston is currently working on several solar projects.

Kingston is a designated Clean Energy Community and a Silver Certified Climate Smart Community. In our 2030 Climate Action Plan, we committed to achieving 100% renewable electricity in municipal operations by 2030. City staff also worked with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Cadmus, to develop a Roadmap to 100% Renewable Energy, a plan which outlines the energy transition for Kingston.

In September 2023, the City of Kingston received a Bronze designation from the U.S. Department of Energy’s SolSmart program for encouraging the growth of clean, affordable solar energy at the local level.

Solar at Municipal Buildings:

In August 2022, the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center was the first municipal building to install a large-scale municipal solar panel array. The solar panel system on the roof at the AMNC meets 110% of the demand of the entire building’s electricity usage, and are connected to the SolarEdge app, which reports real-time energy production, along with historical data to date.

Funding for solar at the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center came from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)’s Clean Energy Communities Program, with additional support from the Kingston Common Council to match grant funds.

Several municipal buildings are currently equipped with smaller systems, including two ground mounted systems at the Forsyth Nature Center, and two community solar projects – one in partnership with Pointe of Praise Church, and the other on Albany Avenue with partner Radio Kingston.

Through the Municipal Buildings Energy Efficiency Upgrades Project, City Hall and the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center will be converted into fossil fuel-free buildings. The historic structures will become clean energy hubs and achieve carbon neutrality by using solar, heat pumps, and a thermal energy network. The project will add more solar power and onsite EV charging and install stormwater and thermal infrastructure. Upon completion, there will be no systems using fossil fuels and both buildings will have highly efficient envelopes. Upgrades will also improve resiliency from climate impacts such as heat waves, severe storms, flooding and power outages. Final designs will be completed in 2024 and construction will take place in 2025.

First Avenue Solar Field:

In addition, Kingston has been awarded eight New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Clean Energy Communities Program grants, totaling $847,000, toward a solar installation on City property. The grants will fund a project to install a ground mount solar array at 514-528 First Avenue in Kingston. The First Avenue Yard is an empty city-owned parcel, which the Department of Public Works has been working to level in preparation for the installation. The energy generated from the over 400-panel solar array will be used to remotely power over 300,000 kWh of City municipal accounts, with installation likely occurring in 2025.

This funding was awarded to the City in recognition of the years of leadership in implementing high-impact clean energy actions, including upgrading the City fleet to electric, swapping out the City’s streetlights for LED, adopting the NYStretch Energy Code, and much more. The City of Kingston is currently the highest-ranking Clean Energy City in NYS, and the second highest ranking overall community statewide after Croton-on-Hudson.

Current conditions at 514-528 First Ave.

More information on the Kingston Community Solar, including eligibility and registration, visit www.kingstoncommunityenergy.org/solar.

For more information on the City of Kingston’s sustainability initiatives, please visit https://kingston-ny.gov/sustainability.

Interested in solarizing your home or business? You can access a Solar Guidebook and Kingston’s Solar Permit here.

Page last updated: 24 May 2024, 03:05 PM