FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2021
City of Kingston
Launching Community Solar Campaign
KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is pleased to announce that the City of Kingston is
partnering with Ulster County, Solarize Ulster, and the Climate Smart Kingston
Commission on a community solar campaign.
Presented at the Climate Smart Kingston Commission meeting
on Wednesday, June 23, the Solarize Kingston Campaign
allows anyone with a utility bill to support local renewable generation of
electricity and reduce their electric bills by 10%, with no upfront costs or
monthly fees.
Through the community solar campaign, anyone who pays an
electricity bill can receive credits. These monetary credits are generated by
local solar arrays whenever the sun is shining. Credits are applied directly to
the account holder’s utility bill. There is no initial cost or monthly fee.
“The subscription directly
supports clean, renewable energy resources and saves our residents money
without having to install costly solar panels on your home or property,” said
Mayor Noble. “Often sustainability resources are not available to all, for a
variety of accessibility reasons. By tapping into a larger array of solar
panels, we are able to extend this opportunity to more of the community and
create a much more equitable resource for renters and all those who are
interested in renewable energy.”
“When you pay your electricity
bill, a portion of that cost goes into the pocket of the fossil fuel industry.
Community solar is a way to make sure our dollars are going towards clean
energy production, and not coal burning, natural gas drilling, and other
unsustainable methods,” said Ellie Gartenstein, City of Kingston Environmental
Specialist. “The Community Solar programs help transform our utility grid and
expand solar infrastructure all across the region. It is a simple and effective
way for anyone who pays an electric bill, including renters, to participate in
solar power projects.”
The amount of credits to the account holder’s electric bill will
vary from month to month. Since solar generates more electricity in the summer,
more credits will be logged in the summer months. If more credits are earned
than can be used in a given month, the utility will rollover credits for use in
subsequent months. Costs and credits typically balance out over the course of
the year.
Ulster County has selected
three trusted partners for participants to choose from: Solstice,
CommonEnergy, and PowerMarket. Each partner will
donate $100 to Ulster County's Green
New Deal fund with each subscription.
This fund will be used to create more Green New Deal community programs.
For more info, visit www.kingston-ny.gov/SolarizeKingston