As part of its 2021 solicitation for utility-scale renewable energy certificates, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has selected five Boralex solar projects with a cumulative capacity of 540 MW and a battery capacity of 77 MW. The solar farms, which are spread across upstate New York, have the potential to generate more than 1 TWh of renewable energy every year, enough to power more than 141,200 homes.
The 250 MW Fort Covington Solar Farm, which is paired with a 77 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) for which Boralex has partnered with Savion, is one of the five solar projects. It also comprises the 130 MW Newport Solar Farm, the 100 MW Fort Edward Solar Farm, and the 40 MW Foothills Solar Farm. The 20 MW Easton Solar Farm was selected by NYSERDA as the sixth solar farm. New York state is expected to benefit from solar projects in the form of work opportunities and tax revenue for towns, counties, and local school districts.
Boralex and NYSERDA will announce the signing of a 20-year renewable energy standard agreement for the purchase of RECs associated with energy production. Each REC is equivalent to the environmental attributes of 1 MWh of electricity generated from a renewable source, such as solar, and each REC represents renewable electricity that enters the electricity system.
REGlobal’s Views: NYSERDA had selected four of Boralex’s solar farms in its 2019 solicitation – Greens Corners, Sandy Creek, Bald Mountain, and West River Solar Farms. These solar farms have a total capacity of 180 MW, thereby, taking Boralex’s total contribution in NYSERDA’s solicitations for utility-scale renewable energy generation over the last two years to 720 MW.
