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    Repurposing brownfields & unused spaces for good

    See how DSD helped Schenectady County transform retired landfills and unused sites into solar solutions to benefit its municipalities and residents.

    COMMUNITY SOLAR CASE STUDY

    ;
    0of clean solar energy
    0of energy storage
    0of power offset
    by renewables

    The Challenge

    The people of Schenectady County decided to take acres of unused land and give it new life — by transforming it into new solar energy installations. By repurposing seven sites, including three long-standing “brownfields,” the County would create a new source of clean energy that is less expensive for its municipalities and residents.

    DSD Schenectady County solar energy project
    DSD Schenectady County ground mount solar panels
    DSD is re-purposing land to create new solar energy farms that will produce enough solar energy to power roughly 60% of all County facilities.

    The Execution

     

    New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Logo
    New York State’s Climate Act is among the most ambitious climate laws in the world. Among the State’s ambitious goals is obtaining 70 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030. DSD

    was awarded the project after detailing its in-house capabilities, strategic ingenuity, and ability to support these green energy goals.

    For example, three of the sites were hard-to-access landfills that presented substantial developmental challenges. And, one of the sites was a tax-foreclosed property that held an abandoned hotel. But the DSD Team found creative ways to transform these obstacles into possibilities.

    The Solution

    Combining ground mount solar PV with an energy storage system (ESS) unleashes exponential clean energy solution benefits. Zero-emissions energy is now available 24/7 — flattening the County’s energy load and reducing peak-demand costs.

    DSD Schenectady County ground mount solar panels
    DSD Schenectady County energy storage

    The Outcome

    Today, these solar installations generate a total of 28,254,869 kWh of solar energy per year. They also include two of the largest energy storage systems (ESS) in the state, providing 20,000 kWh of combined solar storage.

    The portfolio enables the municipalities and cities of Schenectady County to save 20 to 30 percent on their energy costs while offsetting 100 percent of their power with renewable energy. And, county residents who subscribed to the community solar project now receive energy at a 10 percent discount.

    The Impact

    0annual savings for the county
    0CO2 offset annually
    0new trees planted annually (carbon equivalent)

    “This brownfield-to-greenfield transformation shows what can happen when you take on ambitious goals, then put the right people around you to help achieve them.”

    Schenectady CountyChristopher Gardner
    County Attorney
    Schenectady County

    Ready to take the first step​?

    Getting started is easier than you think. Our renewables experts are here to help.

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