The New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) has granted approval to renewable power projects developer Hecate Energy for its 500 MW Cider Solar Farm.
This is the largest solar energy generation project being granted permissions in the state so far and also the first permit issued by the ORES for a project, which had been filed with the new state office.
Project developer for the $500 million-plus Cider Solar Farm is Hecate Energy. Harrison Luna, project leader, said that the permit marks a major milestone for the company and helps the state make meaningful progress towards its ambitious climate goals.
The solar farm will be built across an estimated 3,000 acres of land in the towns of Elba and Oakfield. It will be interconnected to the New York State electricity grid via the Dysinger-New Rochester 345kV transmission line.
Cider Solar Farm will be capable of supplying 920,000 MWh of renewable electricity annually, which will be sufficient for over 120,000 average New York households. It is expected to offset about 718,694 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, according to the company.
Construction is expected to begin by 2023. Work could employ as many as 500 people, according to reports.
“Cider Solar Farm represents a significant $500 million private infrastructure investment in Western New York – not only will this project create hundreds of local jobs, but it will also directly fund local governments, schools, and community services like the fire department and ambulance squad,” Luna added.
The ORES permit is first issued for a new project under Section 94-c rules in the state of New York. Section 94-C is an expedited permitting process for projects of 25 MW or larger.
The state of New York has more than 3 GW in solar capacity installed and is aiming for 10 GW of distributed solar by 2030.
