BY TRONE DOWD
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) announced today that the agency will invest in a new solar power infrastructure for 14 housing developments throughout the five boroughs.
NYCHA and the mayor’s office announced plans to bring a large-scale solar program to numerous housing developments throughout the city. (Photo courtesy of NYCHA)
The announcement, made by NYCHA Chairwoman Shola Olatoye and the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability Director Mark Chambers, is just the latest of many initiatives meant to transition the city towards sustainable, clean energy usage. According to a press statement, the “large-scale program” will provide “low to moderate-income New Yorkers, including public housing residents, access to clean, low-cost energy throughout the city.”
According to Olatoye, the program will not only bring the environmentally friendly power alternative to the city’s densest developments, but it will also create jobs in the growing industry of solar power.
A total of four Queens developments are set to receive the installations—Queensbridge North and Queensbridge South in Long Island City, Pomonok Houses in Flushing and Beach 41st Street Beach Channel Drive in the Rockaways.
NYCHA is currently in the process of hiring a developer to install at least 25 megawatts of solar capacity by 2025. This plan would power 6,600 homes.
In 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Councilman Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton) and the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo buoyed a three-story, 5,500 solar panel facility at JFK Airport Park. The project is currently the largest in the borough, producing 1.8 million kilowatt-hours each year, which is enough to power more than 244 households year-round.