This map visualizes the capacity of energy storage projects between 1990 to 2024, as well as the aggregate capacity per county, juxtaposed with the locations of solar electric programs (scaled by productive capacity). Within that temporal range, there were a total of 162,041 Energy Storage Projects in New York State— providing up to 20 GWh of capacity per program, and 43.18 GWh per county. This technology aims to increase the resilience and efficiency of New York's grid, in pursuit of ambitions for 70% of the state's energy to be powered by renewable sources by 2030, and 100% by carbon-free electricity by 2040. Energy storage also helps to stabilize supply during peak electric usage and helps to keep critical systems active during outages, with further projected benefits of providing at least 30,000 jobs by 2030.

Solar Power: An Exploratory Analysis of the Relationships between Governance, Environment, and Energy Systems with State-Funded Solar Programs in New York State

Spring 2024
Course: Conflict Urbanism, Columbia University
Instructors: Professor Laura Kurgan and TA Wei Xiao

Solar Power

Applications
ArcGIS Pro, Adobe Illustrator, Python

Methods
Literature review, Data Cleaning, Data Visualization, Regression Analysis, Geoprocessing, Spatial and Summary Statistics

By drawing on the breadth of data produced by New York State related to alternative energy systems, solar energy in particular, our analysis, in the form of a critical cartography, seeks to analyze and respond to practices of spatial inequality enacted through New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) funded solar electric programs. The analysis engages themes of conflict urbanism at multiple scales (the climatic, the governmental, etc.) and through a number of modes (maps, financial analysis, satellite and street-view imagery, etc.) in order to enable discussions that go beyond surface-level dialogue about the type of energy development supported by NYSERDA (“green,” solar, etc.) to discussions of where these projects are supported and, critically, to speculate on why certain projects are funded (and at what proportion) while others are not. This research may, on one hand, elucidate the logics underlying NYSERDA’s current practices and on the other support our advocacy for more equitable access to state funding, and perhaps allow for an even more granular discussion of locating and appropriating vacancies within the state for community distributed solar arrays.

This map represents the expected annual production of solar electricity in GWh per program and the estimated aggregate production per county in New York State between 2000 and 2024. An average household consumes approximately 9,600 to 12,000 kWh on an annual basis. Solar electricity generation in the entirety of New York State has grown from 0 GWh in 2010 to 140 GWh in 2016 (with 1 GWh corresponding to 1,000,000 kWh). The town of Orange generates the highest nominal quantity of solar electricity, with 497.67 GWh per year.

The coverage by NYSERDA funding as a proportion of total city or town-aggregate solar electric program costs provides insights to the distribution of state-level funding relative to non-state-sourced investment. Dayton emerges as the town with the highest proportion of state-sourced funds, with 73% of total program costs in the town covered by the state (which nominally equates to $130,520).

The relationship between agricultural districts, impervious surfaces, and solar electric programs intertwines land use, environmental impact, and renewable energy goals. Agricultural districts, designated to preserve farming operations and open space, face challenges when impervious surfaces encroach, disrupting natural hydrology and soil health. Solar electric programs, while offering renewable energy opportunities, may compete for land within these districts, potentially exacerbating surface coverage issues. However, when managed synergistically, solar installations can coexist with agriculture, providing additional income and minimizing further impervious surface expansion. Thus, effective planning and policy integration are essential to navigate these complexities and achieve sustainable development outcomes that balance agricultural preservation, environmental protection, and renewable energy expansion.

The NY-Sun initiative provides incentives and financing to make solar-generated electricity accessible and affordable for all New York homeowners, renters, and businesses. Options vary by county, including a maximum of 30% tax credit against system costs or $180 maximum annual savings on electricity bills for qualified or income-eligible households. This map represents the bivariate relationships between population density (per square mile) versus NYSERDA funding as a proportion of total project costs per New York county. 

Community Distributed Solar Electric Programs are designed to democratize access to solar energy by enabling communities to collectively invest in and benefit from solar power installations. Through this program, solar panels are installed on community buildings or large plots of land, and community members can participate by purchasing shares or subscriptions to these solar installations. Participants receive credits on their electricity bills for the energy generated by their share of the solar panels, helping to lower electricity costs, promote renewable energy adoption, and contribute to local sustainability efforts while fostering community engagement and collaboration around renewable energy initiatives. The completion date of community distributed programs only begins in 2016, however, peaking in 2021. When graphed relative to the count of non-community distributed programs, community-distributed programs characterize a mere minor share of total programs. 

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