Dive Brief:

• Solar growth in New York State has increased more than 300% from 2011 to 2014 – roughly twice the rate of U.S. solar growth overall – in part due to the state's $1 billion NY-Sun initiative which aims to make the clean energy widespread and subsidy-free.
• More than 314 MW of solar power was installed as of December 2014 across the state, sufficient to power more than 51,000 homes.
• New York State was 7th in the country for installed PV capacity last year, according to Solar Energy Industries Association, up from 9th in 2013.

Dive Insight:

A host of innovative energy directives are pushing significant solar capacity to be developed in the Empire State, officials said yesterday, and the trend is expected to continue with more megawatts planned and contracted.

Aside from Long Island – which saw installed megawatts grow “just” 154% from 2011 to 2014 – in all of the state's regions solar capacity tripled, quadrupled or quintupled across the same period. And Long Island already has more solar installations than any other region in the state.

“The Empire State is rapidly becoming a leader in clean energy technology, and that means greener and more sustainable communities for all New Yorkers,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. “We’re making solar a reality in virtually every corner of the state and building a brighter future today.”

Additionally, the governor's office noted that as of May this year more than 304 MW of solar photovoltaic was under contract, but not yet installed. And an additional 65.6 MW of applications had been accepted, not yet contracted.

In addition to the NY-Sun initiative, a part of the state's Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy, officials said a decline in solar electric component prices and growth in the number of installers marketing directly to consumers were also behind the increase.

REV “is already working to increase access for more and more New Yorkers to realize the benefits of local, clean energy," said Richard Kauffman, chairman of Energy and Finance for New York. "New York State’s booming solar industry is driven by individual and community interest in cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy, and Reforming the Energy Vision and NY-Sun are making it easier for businesses to meet this growing demand." 

Solar growth has been most pronounced in the North Country region of New York, which has witnessed installed capacity rising almost 600%. That growth rate was followed by the Finger Lakes, Central New York and New York City.