A $6.5 million residential solar project is going up in Queens, New York, that will eventually power the common areas of all 45 of the Zara Realty buildings. To date, solar panels have been installed on 26 buildings, producing 1.3 million kilowatt hours — about half the 2.7 million kilowatt hours that will be produced when the project is completed at the end of this year. When completed, it will be the borough’s largest residential solar energy project.
The project is being built by Premier Solar Solutions, a veteran-owned New York-based solar installation company. Zara Realty co-managing partner Amir Subraj says the project is one in an ongoing series of the company’s investments in infrastructure that will not only lead to cleaner air but will also ultimately reduce costs.
Installation of the solar panels on Zara’s 45 buildings will be designed to maximize efficiency by using standard panels affixed to racking systems and panels that lift and tilt above the roofline to ensure every available surface is used, the company says.
The state of New York, as well as New York City, have laid out a path to being carbon-free, and “this is precisely the type of work it will take to get there,” says Chris Hoffmann, president and founder of Premier Solar Solutions. In 2019, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a measure for cutting greenhouse gases. His Reforming the Energy Vision goals require an 80% reduction from by 2050 and a carbon-free electric system by 2040, making it one of most ambitious climate bills in the nation.
New York City’s plan — OneNYC — also aims to reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2050. According to OneNYC, nearly 75% of greenhouse gas released into the atmosphere in New York City comes from buildings.
Another project helping pave the way for New York’s emissions reductions goals is from the University at Albany-State University of New York, which has begun construction on a solar project that will supply about 60% of the electricity used by its new $180 million ETEC building, expected to open this summer. The new system — one of the many projects in the university’s energy master plan — will offset more than 3.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide in the first year. The university hopes to reduce its carbon footprint by 40% by 2030.
In 2020, New York was named to the CDP’s Cities A List for its transparency and action on climate change.
