Concentration of CO2 in the Atmosphere

New York State Auction of First Build-Ready Solar Project

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New York has a goal for 70% of its electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030. Clearly, that is very ambitious and a lot of generating infrastructure will have to be installed to bring it about. It will be done under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and it will require a lot of work. Put another way, however, that means a lot of people will have jobs that pay well.

On October 2, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced an auction of the state’s first project for its Build-Ready program. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is looking for a partner to turn a former mine in St. Lawrence County into one of the largest solar projects in the Adirondack Park. The auction is an indication of progress on the part of the State’s Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act, as it works toward the New York goal for renewable electricity.

New York is leading the nation with our innovative approach to reach our clean energy goals,” Gov. Hochul pointed out. “The Benson Mines solar project will transform otherwise underutilized land, supporting local industry while advancing New York’s clean energy transition. I look forward to moving forward with this project to provide lower-cost, zero emission energy to St. Lawrence County residents.”

NYSERDA, as the administrator of the State’s Build-Ready program, will facilitate the auction. The project site is on the property of Benson Mines on a former tailings pile. It is estimated that when the project’s 12-megawatts (MW) of solar panels are operational, they will generate enough clean energy to provide for the annual needs of up to 3,000 homes. That number represents about 4% of St. Lawrence County’s residents.

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris commented, “Benson Mines is a prime example of how NYSERDA’s Build-Ready program is pairing existing industrial operations and underutilized land with clean energy to make a significant impact and leave no stone unturned in New York’s clean energy transition.”

NYSERDA has an exclusive lease option agreement with Benson Mines Inc. for the project area. It has permitted the project fully with the Adirondack Park Agency. NYSERDA has taken the project to the mid-stage of the State’s interconnection process and will provide cost estimates for connections to eligible bidders. The awarded bidder will enter into agreements with NYSERDA to buy the project and complete the remaining development and construction needed to bring the envisioned solar project to operation.

The Request for Proposal is being implemented through a two-step process. Step one eligibility applications are due on December 7, 2023, at 3:00 p.m., EST. Proposers must meet all minimum eligibility qualifications and be invited to submit a proposal in step two. Step two proposals are due on March 14, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. NYSERDA anticipates notifying the awardee in the second quarter of 2024.

NYSERDA has worked with community leaders, business partners, and regional partner agencies to identify and promote community benefits of the project. NYSERDA has also collaborated with the Town of Clifton to ensure that the project complements the community’s character and long-term economic development plans. NYSERDA and the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency (SLCIDA) are establishing a Host Community Improvement Benefit Fund to be managed by SLCIDA. The fund’s purpose is to facilitate projects that have local impact and align with community and regional interests. NYSERDA and SLCIDA are also supporting the project’s PILOT Agreement.

Benson Mines Inc. continues to operate as an aggregates and timber company. Developing the site for coexistent solar energy generation is consistent with Benson Mines’ long-term goals to promote sustainable industrial development that boosts the local economy. Since the 19th century, Benson Mines has played a vital role in the Towns of Clifton and Fine’s history.

At its peak, the mine employed 840 workers. It was said to be the largest open pit iron mine in the world. This solar project complements efforts by the North Country Regional Economic Development Council to promote economic growth in the region’s small cities and towns. It also aligns with the Adirondack Council’s principles for the State to guide development of expanded renewable energy capacity responsibly inside the park. It will fight climate change and provide benefits to communities, as well.

Stuart M. Carlisle, President, Benson Mines remarked, “We are pleased to have partnered with NYSERDA on this project, which is aligned with our objectives of building sustainable investments from the resources available at our site. This will bring needed jobs to the area, which we are confident will begin to take shape under our latest aggregates partnership and ultimately through the resumption of processing minerals. We would like to thank the NYSERDA team, the County Board of Legislators, and the IDA for their support on this project and helping to further the execution of our strategic plan.”

The Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act established the Build-Ready Program. It directed NYSERDA to identify and assess suitable sites for renewable power-generating facilities, and to facilitate their development. It was told to prioritize “previously developed sites” and “existing or abandoned commercial sites,” such as brownfields and landfills, in ways that benefit host communities. In October 2020, the New York Public Service Commission issued an order formally approving the Build-Ready Program. The Order reiterated the Build-Ready Program’s priorities.

The Build-Ready Program is advancing a pipeline of sites all over New York State. It has screened over 5,000 locations, and has brought dozens of sites to more advanced states of development as it prepares solar projects for more Build-Ready auctions.

Local community members, elected officials, private companies, environmental justice communities, and other interested parties are encouraged to nominate potential Build-Ready sites. They will be considered on a rolling basis, through the program’s Site Nomination Process. More information about the program’s progress and NYSERDA’s plans for actively expanding the pipeline of potential sites on both public and private lands across New York State can be found on the Build-Ready program’s web page (https://on.ny.gov/3RMbDMA)

New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan

New York State’s nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly, just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors. Its intends to ensure that at least a minimum of 35% of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities, though the goal is 40%.

Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70% renewable energy generation by 2030, and economy wide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York’s clean energy investments, which include more than $35 billion in 120 large-scale renewable and transmission projects, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2021 and over 3,000% growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011.

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State have zero emissions by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with nearly 400 registered and more than 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in ten disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution and combat climate change.

Captions:

Benson Mine. Russ Nelson/Flickr

Fresh Kills landfill, New York. Jeanethe Falvey, EPA, public domain.

The FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant will have to close sometime. Its site can be used fro renewable energy after the plant is dismantled. Energy.gov, public domain.

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