On Feb. 28, New York City council members introduced a bill that would mandate solar panel installations on public buildings to reduce the city’s carbon footprint and long-term energy costs, according to Construction Dive.
The legislation would require the Department of Citywide Administrative Services to install 100 megawatts of solar photovoltaic systems on the roofs of city-owned buildings by the end of 2025. It calls for a total installation of 150 MW by 2030 on city-owned buildings and other properties, such as parking lots and industrial areas. The Department of Citywide Administrative Services is required to work with the Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability to complete the solar installations and must create a plan by the end of 2026 to meet the 2030 goal.
In January, New York City Mayor Eric Adams released a green economy action plan that outlines more than 63 actions, including those to boost buildings’ energy efficiency, procure innovative technology for retrofits and facilitate commercial retrofits.
The legislation prohibits the use of power purchase agreements to meet the solar PV system targets because it aims to create more job opportunities for unionized workers. City officials have indicated they prefer to use power purchase agreements, which reportedly can help transition to renewable energy more quickly by allowing a separate entity to install, operate and maintain solar infrastructure.
