DSD Renewables has completed construction on a 4.3 MW community solar installation for the town of Bethel, New York, near the location of the historic Woodstock Music and Arts Fair.
The project has been fully operational since July 2023 and will supply the local community with an estimated 5.1 GWh of affordable, clean energy annually, equivalent to powering over 450 homes and offsetting 3,595 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Originally developed in support of Bethel’s 2021 Climate Action Plan, the project set out to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations, cut energy expenditures, and contribute to New York State’s ambitious climate goals.
“To see this project come to fruition is a big win for the community, and continues the legacy of preservation and action in this iconic region,” says Daniel Sturm, Bethel’s Town Supervisor. “Not only has the DSD team helped us in meeting some of our climate targets and provide energy savings for our local residents, but they’ve also played a major role in supporting clean energy initiatives across the state, and we’re happy to be a part of that.”
“With this project, we were able to transform largely unusable real estate into an energy generating asset that will provide economic benefits to the community,” says Kevin Hu, senior manager of asset acquisitions at DSD. “We’ve been honored to work with Bethel and are happy to add to our track record of successful brownfield projects, which will play an increasingly vital role in our nation’s clean energy future.”
The project was acquired in 2021 by DSD, which managed the construction of the system and will own and operate the completed project long-term, with Arcadia managing project subscriptions. Following a no-cost assessment of the site by the Environmental Protection Agency, portions of the project were built on a closed landfill and a retired sand mine, allowing the community to repurpose real estate that was otherwise unusable.
“The town of Bethel’s commitment to this project has been inspirational.” says Joel Gamoran, VP and GM of energy services at Arcadia. “They’ve been a champion for the transformation of this space from a former landfill to a source of clean solar power that will create local jobs and enable residents to save on energy bills for decades to come.”
The community solar project’s offtake will be made up of 40% anchor customers, with 60% going to residents and small businesses.
— Solar Builder magazine
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