New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on April 17 announced that the New York Power Authority and the City of Albany, N.Y., will co-develop a new 1.5-megawatt solar energy project at the capped North Albany/Shaker Park landfill.
The ground-mounted solar farm is estimated to come online in 2027.
This is also NYPA’s first renewable energy project in the newly established Renewable Energy Access and Community Help (REACH) program, which will lower energy costs for low- or moderate-income Albany area residents and eligible New Yorkers in the surrounding area.
At the landfill solar project kickoff event, the City of Albany also was recognized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for achieving silver status, the highest level of certification as a Climate Smart Community.
"Transforming the North Albany landfill into a source of clean energy is evidence of our steadfast commitment to create a more affordable and reliable electric system for all New Yorkers,” Hochul said. “Through this collaboration and project, NYPA is advancing its efforts to develop new renewables while simultaneously benefiting low- and moderate-income area residents with bill credits through its new REACH program. This project also reflects our focus on repurposing underutilized sites to meet our ambitious climate goals in smart, sustainable ways.”
NYPA President and CEO Justin Driscoll said, “The Power Authority’s second clean energy project as part of its Renewables Strategic Plan is in partnership with the City of Albany and will transform a capped landfill into a 1.5 MW solar facility that will power the equivalent of over 200 homes by 2027. The project is also the first to be part of NYPA's new REACH program, which was designed to support energy affordability for low- and moderate-income residents, furthering our commitment to a cleaner, more equitable energy future for all New Yorkers.”
The North Albany/Shaker Road project is one of the first to be developed under NYPA’s Renewables Strategic Plan.
The plan is a roadmap for NYPA’s renewable energy development under its expanded authority to build additional renewable energy resources to help advance New York State’s climate goals.
The project will be built adjacent to the city’s Department of General Services headquarters and further enshrines Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan’s commitment to the environment and the city’s sustainability goals. The North Albany landfill site was chosen after an extensive evaluation of multiple sites by Albany’s Office of Sustainability in cooperation with NYPA.
In addition to their signed contract, the City of Albany and Power Authority have completed pre-feasibility studies for the site and will now move forward to the next phases of development, including preparing and submitting an interconnection application to the local utility.
The project is the first to be developed through NYPA’s new REACH program, which will provide bill credits for eligible low- or moderate-income households after the project comes online in 2027.
Those who enroll in the state’s Energy Affordability Program (EAP) and the Statewide Solar for All program may be eligible for automatic monthly bill credits through the REACH program once the project is completed, online and generating revenue, with a target of 2027.
NYPA recently announced Somers Solar, a 20 MW solar energy generation project in the town of Fort Edward in Washington County, will be its first renewables project under the expanded authority.
The 2023-24 Enacted State Budget authorized NYPA to advance renewable energy and support state priorities, building on NYPA’s existing efforts to provide clean, affordable power and expand New York’s transmission system.
Specifically, this expanded authority called for NYPA to accelerate renewable energy development, support workforce training, establish the REACH program, support decarbonization efforts across the state, and deactivate its small natural gas power plants in New York City and on Long Island.
Since Hochul signed the 2023-2024 Enacted State Budget into law, NYPA has made significant progress, including establishing business structures, filling key roles, and advancing initial projects. NYPA has also created a subsidiary to facilitate external capital and protect against project risks.
The Power Authority, through its wholly owned subsidiary the New York Renewable Energy Development Holdings Corporation (NYRED), will construct the 1.5 MW solar generation project.
In January 2025, the Power Authority published its inaugural Renewables Strategic Plan for developing new renewable energy generation projects to supply New Yorkers with affordable, reliable, and emissions-free electricity.
The plan outlines 37 projects across New York State, representing a potential of more than 3 GW of renewable energy. The plan also reflects feedback from thousands of stakeholders statewide, sets priorities for projects to be advanced over the next two years and includes the pursuit of additional projects in future updates to the plan.
"This project complements New York State’s efforts to encourage consideration of closed landfills, cleaned-up brownfields, and other underutilized sites for renewable energy," NYPA said.
The State Department of Environmental Conservation issued guidance for photovoltaic solar projects at closed landfills to help municipalities address the site-specific characteristics of a project and ensure protections remain in place during solar installation.
Solarization and re-development of old or unused landfills are prime examples of state and local partnerships at their best, especially during this critical time when policies and programs are being rolled back on the federal level, NYPA said.
