Bright Power Supports Community Credit Compensation for Community Solar

Strategic Insights -

Bright Power, a developer and installer of community solar projects, is urging the New York Public Service Commission to adopt a petition to support community solar in the city. The joint petition, filed by several organizations, recommends creating additional community credit capacity at $0.12 per kilowatt hour for Con Edison community solar customers and working with stakeholders to identify future solutions that support solar jobs and bill discounts. Bright Power supports these recommendations, highlighting the importance of community solar in supporting solar jobs and alleviating energy cost burdens for low-income households.

Key Takeaways:

  • Bright Power is a developer and installer of community solar projects focused on the NYC market and a premier provider of energy and water management services for real estate owners, investors, and operators.
  • Bright Power strongly supports the recommendations of the Joint Petition Regarding Community Credit Compensation, which aim to create additional community credit capacity and identify future solutions that support solar jobs and bill discounts.
  • Community solar is growing faster than rooftop solar in New York City and is crucial for supporting solar jobs and the economic recovery in NYC, which was hard hit by COVID-19.
  • Community solar subscriptions can alleviate energy cost burdens for households, which are a significant concern in NYC, where many households pay a substantial portion of their income on energy bills.
  • Without immediate action to support community solar, the solar industry in New York City faces a very uncertain future, jeopardizing good, green, local jobs and the ability to meet renewable energy and decarbonization goals.
  • Bright Power urges the PSC to adopt this petition to support community solar and is willing to work with the PSC to develop longer-term supports for community solar in the downstate region.

Statistics:

  • 180 megawatts of new Community Credit capacity is recommended to be created immediately.
  • $0.12 per kilowatt hour is the rate proposed for the additional community credit capacity in the joint petition.
  • Community solar is growing at a faster rate than rooftop solar in New York City.
  • 21 Hanover Square is the address of Bright Power's office in New York City.
  • Evan Kaplan is the Director of On-Site Generation Consulting at Bright Power and submitted the comments on behalf of the company.

Sources:

  • Joint Petition of the City of New York, Sustainable Westchester, Inc., Solar One, New York Solar Energy Industries Association, New York City Economic Development Corporation, and New York City Housing Authority Regarding Community Credit Compensation, filed on March 10, 2020.
  • Comments from Bright Power on the Joint Petition Regarding Community Credit Compensation.