New York’s Morris Ridge Solar Project goes online

Morris Ridge Solar is expected to generate enough energy to meet more than 47,000 New York households’ energy needs.

December 18, 2024 Rachel Metea

Image: American Solar Grazing Association

The Morris Ridge Solar project is fully operational and delivering electricity to New York’s power grid, EDF Renewables North America has announced. Morris Ridge was awarded a long-term project by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) as part of the 2018 Renewable Energy Standard Solicitation.

The Morris Ridge Solar Project, located in Mount Morris, New York, has a 229 MW (DC) and 177 MW (AC) capacity. At full capacity, Morris Ridge Solar is expected to generate enough energy to meet more than 47,000 average New York households’ energy needs, based on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration 2022 Residential Electricity Sales, U.S. Census Data, and typical transmission assumptions.

As a result of the project, county, town, fire, and local school districts will receive tax benefits through a PILOT agreement, host community agreement, and special district taxes. Specifically, this includes: Livingston County, the Town of Mount Morris, the Town of Mount Morris Fire District, the Mount Morris Central School District, and the Keshequa Central School District.

EDF Renewables also proposed for the project to contribute $14 million in direct payments to the Town of Mount Morris, Livingston County and local school districts during the first 20 years of operation.

The project provided jobs for 550 people at the project’s peak and injected more than $70 million into New York’s economy through expenditures for materials, services, labor, and various other expenses. According to EDF Renewables, the Morris Ridge Solar Project is expected to generate $18.6 million in financial contributions for the area’s county, town, school, and fire districts over its operational life.

Field studies for the project began in Q2 2018. Construction was initially slated to begin four years later, in Q2 2022, but ultimately began in July 2023.

EDF Renewables collaborated with the United Solar Energy Supporters (USES) in 2022 to create three 60-second films about the benefits that communities receive from housing solar projects. The films were a nod to Mount Morris, “whose town leadership embraced medium- and large-scale solar projects, reaping significant economic and societal benefits for their community.

“We are proud to be the first project to receive permitting through the Office of Renewable Energy Siting, marking a significant step in New York’s clean energy transition,” said Stephane Desdunes, Vice President Development for EDF Renewables Northeast Region. “We are especially grateful to the host community, whose support and active participation were instrumental in realizing the largest operational solar project in New York State,” she said.

The Morris Ridge Solar project contributes to New York’s goal to reach 70% renewable energy by 2030, which was the second-most aggressive renewable energy mandate in the U.S. when it was passed in 2022. New York’s goal also aims to reach 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2040.

In October, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that 6 GW of distributed solar power had been installed throughout the state. The distributed solar effort is backed by support from the state’s $3.3 billion NY Sun initiative. According to NYSERDA, distributed solar is generating enough electricity to power more than a million homes and businesses, including those in disadvantaged communities.

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