[ Eco-Friendly Milestone: Croton-on-Hudson Train Station's Solar Array and Battery Storage Project.
An overhead rendering reveals the innovative solar array and battery storage system at the Croton-on-Hudson train station, serving both Metro-North and Amtrak lines.]
WASHINGTON., D.C., Jan 30, 2024 – Today, Sol Systems, a leading renewable energy company, announced a clean energy project for which Columbia University will act as anchor tenant. The project will harness the power of both solar energy and battery storage to reduce emissions and promote a cleaner environment for the Village of Croton-on-Hudson and broader ConEdison downstate NY community.
The Croton-Harmon community solar carport and battery storage project — a 4 MW-dc solar system paired with 3.75 MW / 15 MWh battery storage — is expected to come online in the second quarter of 2024 at the Village’s Metro-North train station parking lot. The Village benefits from an annual site lease payment for use of the lot for 25 years and can flexibly reinvest this funding throughout the local community.
The addition of battery storage to solar projects is a game changer. It allows solar generation to be shifted to export to the grid during summer evenings, when grid demand peaks and the dirtiest generators turn on. This increases the financial value of the community solar credits for solar offtakers, and contributes to further emissions reduction beyond what a solar-only project can achieve.
"We are thrilled to be part of the Croton-Harmon community solar project," Andrew Grin, Enterprise Solutions at Sol Systems, said. "This project showcases the immense potential of renewable energy and battery storage in providing clean and sustainable solutions for communities."
Columbia University signed on with the commitment to buy solar energy from the project through Con Edison over the next two decades. One benefit of this is discounted utility bills utilizing community solar credits through the NY-Sun community distributed generation (CDG) program. In the first year alone, Columbia will receive credits equivalent to 40 percent of the project's generation, or approximately 1,985 MWh — enough to power 274 homes for a year.
In addition to reducing utility bills, this partnership aligns with Columbia University's commitments to climate research, education, and operational sustainability and provides potential opportunities for the University community to engage with community solar.
"Columbia is deeply committed to advancing sustainability not only on our campuses, but for our local community as well,” said Sean Scollins, Assistant Vice President for Energy and Engineering at Columbia University. “By harnessing the innovative combination of solar power and battery storage, this project demonstrates leadership in renewable energy adoption and supports a more sustainable future for our community.”
Sol Systems serves as the project developer, construction manager and asset manager, ensuring the successful implementation and operation of the Croton-Harmon community solar project. Community Solar Platform will manage community solar subscriptions. Environ Energy served as Columbia University's energy consultant, and Arevon will serve as the long-term project owner.
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About Sol Systems
Sol Systems is a leading national solar energy firm with an established reputation for integrity and reliability across its development, infrastructure, and environmental commodity businesses. Sol is operating and building over 2 GW of solar projects valued at nearly $2 billion for Fortune 100 companies, municipalities, counties, utilities, universities, and schools and provides environmental commodity portfolio management services to more than 50,000 customers across the US. The company was founded in 2008, is based in Washington, D.C., and is led by its founder. Sol Systems works with institutional clients, corporate partners, and foundations to create a more sustainable future we can all believe in. For more information, visit https://www.solsystems.com/.
Media Contact:
Jacqueline Mayan
Sol Systems
jacqueline.mayan@solsystems.com
(202) 656-4815