In late April, the New York Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the state Department of Environmental Protection and the New York Power Authority announced the start of a project to install solar panels at the Wards Island Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility.
When complete, this solar array will be the largest clean energy installation at a WRRF in the world, at no upfront capital cost to the City of New York.
The project will see the installation of 10 megawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity and 10 MW of large-scale battery energy storage.
“The Wards Island project will help New York City transition to a more sustainable future and set a new bar worldwide for clean energy installations at wastewater treatment plants,” said Justin Driscoll, president and CEO of NYPA. “Supporting large-scale solar projects is a significant investment in cleaner air, economic growth and a resilient grid. To grow our state’s economy and tackle environmental challenges, we need to embrace more collaborative partnerships like this with DCAS and the DEP to develop bold, cost-effective solutions that will pave the way to a healthier planet for future generations.”
In September 2023, DCAS announced a power purchase agreement with NYPA to expand clean energy generation on more than 60 city-owned buildings and six DEP facilities, including the Wards Island WRRF.
Through the PPA, NYPA’s competitively selected developer, Ameresco, is responsible for installing, owning, and maintaining assets for 20 years while the city purchases the clean power at a fixed rate.
The installation will lead to a total of over 30 MW of solar PV generating capacity and up to 10 MW of large-scale battery storage to provide energy to power city operations.
Solar canopies will be installed over wastewater processing tanks -- an innovative and challenging design that is unlike previous solar rooftop installations the city has completed.
The project is currently in the design phase with construction expected to begin in June and continue through to completion in June 2027.
