Once Completed, Facility Is Expected To Generate Enough Clean Energy To Power More Than 25,000 Homes
Project Expected To Create More Than 130 Construction & Operational Jobs
13 Major Renewable Energy Projects Approved by ORES Since 2021
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting has issued a siting permit to Moraine Solar Energy Center, LLC, for EDF Renewables North America to develop, design, construct, operate, maintain, and decommission a 94-megawatt solar facility in the Town of Burns, Allegany County. Once completed, this solar facility is expected to generate enough clean energy to power over 25,000 New York homes and reduce carbon emissions by over 130,000 metric tons, which is equivalent to taking nearly 29,000 cars off the road. This solar facility is expected to create more than 130 full-time equivalent jobs during construction and operation.
Today’s announcement, when coupled with previously permitted facilities by the Office, marks the approval of 13 major renewable energy facilities, totaling over 2.1 gigawatts since 2021. This underscores New York’s leadership in the fight on climate change by demonstrating the most rapid pace of major renewable energy facility approvals in the State’s history.
«By accelerating the development of renewable energy, we’re cementing our position as a national leader in climate action, while creating jobs and spurring economic development across the state,» Governor Hochul said. «The approval of Moraine Solar brings us closer to surpassing our ambitious climate goals helping create a cleaner and healthier New York where future generations can thrive.”
ORES conducted detailed, transparent, site- and project-specific environmental reviews for these 13 siting permits, with robust public participation, including consideration of nearly 2,300 public and municipal comments, to ensure that the proposed facilities meet or exceed the requirements of Executive Law § 94-c and its implementing regulations.
ORES Executive Director Houtan Moaveni said, “Under the leadership of Governor Kathy Hochul, New York stands ready to confront the most pressing existential challenge of our time – the threat of global climate change. ORES is well-positioned to help achieve New York State’s nation-leading clean energy objectives, while ensuring the protection of the environment and consideration of all pertinent social, economic, and environmental factors.”
For a majority of the 13 permitted facilities, host municipalities, applicants, and ORES took a collaborative, consent-based approach that resolved local concerns without the need for a full administrative hearing process. Local agencies and community groups had access to over $2.1 million of funding to facilitate their participation in the permitting process. As these projects proceed, ORES will continue to work collaboratively with the host municipalities and community stakeholders throughout the construction phase.
Today’s decision may be obtained by going to the Office’s website at ores.ny.gov/permit-applications.
New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State’s nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues fostering a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York’s unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $35 billion in 120 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.8 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2021 and a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with nearly 400 registered and 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change.
About ORES
The Office of Renewable Energy Siting is the first-of-its-kind state agency dedicated solely to environmentally responsible and cost-effective siting of renewable energy facilities Established by the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act in April 2020, the Office consolidates the environmental review and permitting of major renewable energy facilities to ensure that siting decisions are predictable, responsible, and done in a timely manner with input from local governments and host communities. On March 3, 2021, the Office adopted comprehensive regulations including a set of uniform standards and conditions to implement the Act. The Office is designed to enable New York to obtain 70 percent of the State’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030, as required under New York’s nation-leading climate plan, enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. For more information on ORES, please visit www.ores.ny.gov.