My electricity is 100% renewable from Green Mountain power of Vermont, so the electricity now costs less than I pay ConEd to deliver it. ConEd's charges -- for cables and other delivery hardware, administration, taxes -- more than double my monthly bill. This is for hardware and administration already in place from when my electricity came directly from ConEd and my monthly bill was a lot smaller than it is now. Beware if you try to buy into community solar or anything else; do it only if you are committed to renewable energy no matter how much you have to pay.
@R. Turner Just wanted to point out that Community Solar works differently from a traditional ESCo or Energy Services Company such as Green Mountain Power. The Community Solar program is meant to provide a discount on the total bill. Not just the supply portion. What you currently have is not Community Solar.
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This is good news. The only people I know who have solar panels for their power needs are wealthy, single home owners. Most who got tax rebates for installing them. Apartment dwellers or other renters end up paying higher electricity bills to offset the solar users. Yup, that's what's happened here in MA. And good luck trying to convince landlords to attach solar panels to rooftops of their rentals. Maybe in California but not in New England. I can't even convince my landlord to install low water flush toilets or to replace 20 year old energy sucking appliances, or to insulate attic spaces, etc. They don't care if they're not paying the utility bills.
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With solar panels up there, where'm I gonna go...
When I come home feelin' tired and beat
...and want to go up where the air is fresh and sweet
So many NYC apartment buildings are not suitable for solar panels that this is a welcome alternative. Buildings with fire escapes must provide clear walkways from stairwells to those fire escapes on the roof. Also, a clear perimeter of 6 feet around the roof is required in combustible buildings. Then there is always the problem of how to fix or replace the roof that happens every 25 years or so.
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It's actually not very difficult to remove and re-install the panels. A good solar installation company will also be able to store them during the roof work.
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@David It is always best to have a new or recent roof before installing solar panels. As Martha points out, the panels are removable for roof replacement. The access required for fire department access is very important. For readers in areas lacking in a codes requiring fire department access, plan ahead. Hopefully your building will never have a fire, but if there is, firefighters need to be able to access the roof and perhaps cut a hole to ventilate the fire.
Great article. Always happy to see journalists spreading the word about community solar, which is so important to the future of New York. Many thanks Kaya!
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I think of all those industrial rooftops along Newtown Creek.
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Great article Kaya! Hopefully everyone in NYC decides to sign up for Community Solar.
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