Categories: News, Schenectady County

SCHENECTADY COUNTY — The Schenectady County Legislature has unanimously approved an agreement with General Electric to develop solar energy farms, despite one legislator’s concerns about solar energy.

The agreement calls for GE to help set up solar arrays on municipal properties throughout the county, allowing those municipalities to get energy credits that are expected to reduce their electric bills, in total, by $1.5 million annually.

“I am green in terms of saving taxpayer money and in terms of the environment, but nuclear is arguably a better form of green,” said Republican Legislator Brian McGarry, of Rotterdam, before voting in favor of the agreement.

McGarry said he is concerned that, because so many solar projects are being developed to sell electricity to the utility grid, other utility customers will have to bear more costs to support traditional central energy plants to provide power when solar energy isn’t available.

Other legislators didn’t respond directly to McGarry’s comments, but they noted the potential cost savings, some of which come from state solar energy tax credits.

“At the moment, New York is very much going solar, and it is wise of Schenectady County to follow that lead,” said Legislature Majority Leader Gary Hughes, D-Schenectady.

The New York Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s power grid, found in an annual power grid forecast released last week that, because more small solar and renewable energy projects are coming online, the statewide grid is going through a period of great transition. Solar energy advocates also say energy storage technology is rapidly improving.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has set a goal of having New York produce 50 percent of its power from renewable resources by 2030. That’s about double the percentage now generated from renewable resources, which include hydropower and wind, as well as solar.

County and GE officials last month announced the solar plan, which expands on an established county effort to make the county energy-independent by the end of 2020. County officials say they are on track to meet that goal.

GE will partner with the Schenectady County Solar Consortium on a project that could make local government buildings and facilities in the county energy-independent by the end of 2021, locating solar arrays on up to 18 sites, including four former municipal landfills. If all were developed, they would generate about 45 megawatts of power.

The 18 sites targeted for possible solar farms include two owned by the county, two owned by the city of Schenectady, five in Rotterdam, three in Glenville, four owned by the village of Delanson, and one each in Niskayuna and Duanesburg. The prospective sites include former landfills in Schenectady, Rotterdam, Glenville and Duanesburg.

County officials held a meeting Tuesday for town leaders interested in learning more of the plan’s details.

“If we can get the bulk of these projects up and running, not just the county but our towns are going to be saving a ton of money,” said county Legislator Rory Fluman, D-Scotia, chairman of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee.

Construction is expected to begin in 2019, Fluman said.

Reach Daily Gazette reporter Stephen Williams at 518-395-3086, [email protected] or @gazettesteve on Twitter.