The NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) recently announced that since November 2020, the City of New York has completed solar photovoltaic (PV) projects on City-owned public property that amount to an additional 10 megawatts (MW), doubling the City’s total capacity to 22 MW. DCAS and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) also announced the imminent construction of solar PV systems at over 60 City-owned buildings, mostly public schools in Brooklyn and Queens plus six wastewater resource recovery facilities operated by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
By the end of 2025, when construction is expected to be completed, these clean-energy installations will bring the City’s total solar capacity to 70 MW, including 10 MW in large-scale battery storage — equivalent to the annual energy use of 11,500 NYC homes.
Clean-energy projects like these are creating work opportunities for union electricians including members of Local 3, IBEW.
"I want to congratulate the City on its impressive achievements to increase renewable energy production at public buildings,” Business Manager Christopher Erikson said. “We are proud that the new solar and battery storage installations at New York City schools and water infrastructure sites that were announced today will be constructed by the highly skilled members of Local 3 IBEW; union jobs that support middle-class families in the five boroughs and beyond that foster diversity, equity and inclusion. We relish the opportunity to work with the City and the New York Power Authority to build the green economy and solve the climate crisis."
"The City is making tremendous progress towards reaching its clean energy goals,” NYECA Executive Secretary Edwin Lopez said. “The new solar and energy storage projects announced today, which will be constructed by Local Union No. 3, IBEW affiliated contractors and members of NECA, are game changers. The world will look to New York City as the leader in developing clean energy systems in dense urban environments, and we are proud to support that effort.”
