Solar Power in New York City

Solar in New York City

Residential and commercial building owners in NYC are increasingly using the sun to meet their energy needs, reduce their costs, be part of the solution to our environmental crisis, and maximize the value of their property.

New York City is one of the most financially friendly places to install solar energy systems, thanks to the NYC property tax abatement and legislation that enables owners of solar systems to sell back excess energy. Financial incentives from NYSERDA, the federal government, and others can cover as much as 62% of the costs of installation, and in some cases more.

In addition, New York City, one of 25 Solar America Cities, has designated three Solar Empowerment Zones which benefit from U.S. Department of Energy funds in the form of technical assistance, streamlined permitting and data monitoring.  The zones were selected based on their potential to reduce the need for capacity upgrades through increased use of solar energy and the availability of roof square footage to accommodate solar installations.  Residents in areas outside of the Solar Empowerment Zones can still install solar energy systems.  In the future more areas will be added the Solar Empowerment Zones.

Solar Photovoltaic (PV): How it Works
Solar Thermal: How it Works