The roof of the Coney Island Maintenance Facility with solar panel renderings. Photo: MTA
The New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) announced yesterday that it is launching a new initiative that, if successful, will generate both revenue and renewable, emission-free electricity by leasing millions of square feet of industrial roof space to companies interested in generating solar power. The MTA’s first request for proposals to develop this power covers 7 large buildings as solar sites and would generate approximately 6.5 megawatts of power.
- The initiative will eventually put more than 100 bus depots, train yards, repair shops, and commuter lots across all MTA agencies – totaling more than 10 million square feet of industrial roof space – to work creating solar power with little or no capital investment by the MTA itself.
- Once developed, these sites could generate 100 megawatts of emission-free electricity to the NYC grid, which is enough to power 18,000 households.
- This type of solar development is increasingly commonplace on top of private industrial and warehouse buildings in the New York metropolitan region and is now spreading to public buildings such as universities and City buildings.
The MTA through its operations already averts annual greenhouse gas emissions of more 17 million metric tons, but this will allow them to contribute even further to reducing the region’s emissions. In a synergistic move, last week, New York City set an ambitious new standard for combating greenhouse gas emissions by requiring massive reductions in energy usage in big buildings, which are the top polluters in the city. The City Council’s new rules are expected “to cut greenhouse gas emissions from large buildings by 40 percent compared to 2005 levels by 2030—about 26 percent below current levels,” according to Inside Climate News. The new plan also encourages more solar development on the rooves of private buildings.
Why This Matters: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in large cities like New York is critical to meeting our Paris targets — and many cities like New York remain committed to achieving those reductions. But more than that, building solar fields in the city will create jobs in urban as opposed to isolated rural areas, which are more typically where solar has been developed. By taking these actions, New York City will be a world leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and will provide a template for other cities to follow. There is plenty of space for solar in the city — up on the roof!
What You Can Do: If you live in a city, challenge your elected representatives to enact similar greenhouse gas cutting initiatives. Reducing emissions from buildings, and putting rooftops to work by generating clean solar power is a win-win.
April 23, 2019 » climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, Metropolitan Transit Authority, MTA, New York City, solar power
