Morgan East and Morgan West will collectively provide 9.5 MWac to three corporate offtakers and hundreds of New York State residential and small business customers.

NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EDPR NA Distributed Generation LLC (EDPR NA DG), the distributed generation (DG) business unit of EDP Renewables North America LLC (EDPR NA), is pleased to announce the completion of the Morgan East and Morgan West community solar projects in Clay, New York. Located near Syracuse, NY, the Morgan East Solar Park generates 4.5 MWac in part for PaperWorks Industries, while Morgan West Solar Park generates 5 MWac in part for QubicaAMF Worldwide, LLC and Sabin Metal Corporation. Both parks will also power the surrounding utility service territory in upstate New York, providing 60% of their total generation to residential and small business subscribers in the mass market.

Community solar projects provide a variety of benefits to the communities in which they are located. Community solar lowers household electricity costs, reduces carbon emissions, increases resilience to energy volatility, and strengthens the local grid by diversifying the energy portfolio. EDPR NA DG worked with both PowerMarket and NRG Energy's Renewables Advisory (now CBRE Renewables) on the projects.

"We're excited to expand our community solar portfolio in New York through invaluable partnerships with PaperWorks Industries, QubicaAMF, and Sabin Metal Corporation, while also providing access to affordable solar energy to residential and small commercial customers," stated Joao Barreto, CEO of EDPR NA Distributed Generation. "Through community solar, we are increasing access to clean and reliable energy in new communities and advancing New York State's decarbonization goals."

Both projects support the economies of Clay and Syracuse by providing clean, reliable energy to manufacturing facilities and households served by the local utility. These projects enable New Yorkers to have access to renewable energy solutions, empower their energy independence, secure the local energy grid, and support the State's climate commitments to reduce fossil fuel consumption.

"PowerMarket is proud of its long-standing partnership with EDPR NA DG to acquire and manage its community solar portfolio. For the Morgan East and West projects, we are thrilled to have secured the Town of Clay as a key partner, enabling us to bring the benefits of these local projects directly to Town of Clay residents. With hundreds of residents enrolled, we helped EDPR NA DG quickly accomplish its project milestones," said Brad Tito, Director of Community Energy at PowerMarket. "These projects showcase our unmatched ability to engage communities and build strong partnerships, setting a new standard for how community solar programs can thrive through our involvement."

During construction, the Morgan East and West projects created 75 construction jobs and provided $6.8 million in support of local restaurants, shops, and businesses within 50 miles. The community solar projects are expected to contribute $12 million in payments to local governments. Investments in renewable energy development have grown in New York State due to its favorable community solar policies.

"Policy-enabled community solar is one of several paths companies can take in the clean energy transition. It is a low-risk, buyer-friendly way to save money with renewable energy," said project advisor Sy Kim, formerly with NRG and now a Vice President with CBRE Renewables.

EDPR NA DG made history in 2021 as the first developer to launch a community solar + storage facility in New York to power low-to-moderate income housing in the state.

Morgan East and Morgan West's operational completion continues the expansion of community solar projects where EDPR NA DG owns and operates community solar projects. With 41 corporate anchor tenants and 5,000 residential customers engaged to date through community solar programs - and with these new additions - EDPR NA DG will own and operate 58 MWac worth of community solar and similar remote net metering program projects with an additional 15 MWac currently under construction spanning Maine, Massachusetts, and New York in the United States. 

EDPR NA DG remains one of the top leaders in distributed generation in the US, owning and operating over 274 MWac of solar and storage assets across 539 active sites spanning 24 states. To date, through the production of clean and affordable distributed energy, over 251 tCO2 has been avoided.

Multimedia resources include: 

• About EDPR NA DG: Fact Sheet 
• About Community Solar: Website
• EDPR NA DG Community Solar Fact Sheet

About EDPR NA Distributed Generation:  

At EDPR NA Distributed Generation (EDPR NA DG), accelerating the adoption and success of distributed generation is at the core of our mission. EDPR NA DG provides cutting-edge innovative renewable energy services to the entire North American region. Built on long-standing relationships with developers, power generators, corporate purchasers, municipalities, and local communities, EDPR NA DG delivers a full suite of offerings ranging from financing and development to construction and operation of energy and storage assets poised to scale.

For more information, visit www.edprnadg.com and follow us on LinkedIn.  

About EDP Renewables North America  

EDP Renewables North America LLC (EDPR NA), its affiliates, and its subsidiaries develop, construct, own, and operate wind farms, solar parks, and energy storage systems throughout North America. Headquartered in Houston, with 61 wind farms, 18 solar parks, and eight regional offices across North America, EDPR NA has developed more than 11,200 megawatts (MW) and operates more than 10,200 MW of onshore utility-scale renewable energy projects. With more than 1,000 employees, EDPR NA's highly qualified team has a proven capacity to execute projects across the continent.  

For more information, visit www.edpr.com/north-america and follow us on LinkedIn.