Sun Does The Big Apple

Why Isn't Solar Energy Spreading Faster In NYC?

Miranda Katz, May 31, 2016 (Gothamist)

“In 2014, New York City set an ambitious goal: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050…Some 66% of city rooftops are capable of harnessing solar power, and the number of solar companies in the city has skyrocketed over the past decade, from just five to over 50…[The] past two years have seen something of a boom, with the number of installations now adding up to about 75 megawatts—but much of that growth has been in the public sector, and there's still a long ways to get to the city’s] goal of 350 megawatts…[The holdup], it appears, is that installing solar energy in NYC is a nightmarishly bureaucratic process that involves jumping through hoops with the Department of Buildings [DOB], the FDNY, and Con Edison, not to mention the legwork involved if one would like to simultaneously apply for a property tax abatement, which would reduce taxes on a solarized property and is one of the primary incentives for doing so…[Solar advocates calling for more and faster change in permitting processes]…” click here for more

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