Middletown’s Greenskies to install solar at New York, Long Island schools

The Middletown Press | Staff
March 31, 2017

MIDDLETOWN >> Greenskies Renewable Energy has been designated the approved solar contractor for school districts in northern and central New York state and Long Island, according to the New York Power Authority, which administers the state’s K-Solar program.

The initiative, launched in 2014, has divided each of New York’s 700 school districts into five “bundles,” or regions, according to a press release. After a competitive bidding process, Greenskies, which is located at 181 Johnson St., in the old Remington Rand building in the city’s North End, was chosen for two regions: one which includes portions of central and northern New York state and a second that encompasses Long Island.

According to the NYPA, these regions include about 95 school districts that have registered to participate in the K-Solar program. The K-Solar program is administered by the NYPA in collaboration with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the New York State Education Department. It was instituted to provide school systems in the state with the tools, and expertise to bring solar energy to their facilities and reduce their energy costs, the release continues.

Greenskies will offer solar solutions to interested schools including, in most cases, a Power Purchase Agreement, which specifies that Greenskies will design, engineer, construct and maintain solar arrays on the rooftops or grounds of a participating school at no cost to the state or school district. The firm will then sell the power produced at the school back to the school district at a fixed and discounted rate, which will vary by region.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this innovative and important solar energy program in New York state,” said Will Herchel, Greenskies’ president.