GE unveiled the region's largest solar carport at one of its most historic campuses. The new 2.26 MW solar installation at its Schenectady, NY, location consists of 6,800 solar modules, marking the largest project of its kind in upstate New York. The structure will generate enough onsite power to save the campus approximately $1.5 million in energy costs. The solar solution comes courtesy of GE's digital energy start-up unit, called Current, and will produce more than 60 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy over its 25-year lifespan, or enough to power the equivalent of 2,500 U.S. homes for a year.

"GE believes that energy should be more affordable, reliable and sustainable everywhere, including on our own campuses," said Maryrose Sylvester, President & CEO of Current, powered by GE. "In partnership with NYSERDA and our state & local government representatives, as well as the GE team here in Schenectady, we are excited to introduce the region's largest solar carport and support local sustainability efforts for years to come."

The Schenectady installation will provide a positive environmental impact, equivalent to removing nearly 8,000 cars from the road, or avoiding approximately about 46,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, over the next 25 years. The project is supported by Governor Cuomo's NY-Sun initiative and will help New York make progress toward its goal to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.  

"Harnessing solar power isn't a new idea for GE," said Erik Schiemann, General Manager of Solar at Current. "Edison himself said he'd put his money on the sun as a future source of energy. Historically, the hard part has been making solar technology an attractive investment from both a cost and environmental perspective, but more than ever before, commercial and industrial companies are realizing that energy efficient technologies are now a realistic option for reducing their energy bills while improving overall sustainability."

Current has installed solar carport and ground-mount solutions for commercial and industrial customers of all sizes and industries throughout the U.S., including several recently announced projects across the Northeast with customers like Partners Healthcare, Seabury and Smith & Wesson.

"We are proud that one of GE's most historic campuses will now serve as a symbol of our ongoing investment in clean energy," said Sylvester. "Together with our customers, we look forward to continuing to show and realize renewable energy's unlimited potential."

Current | www.currentbyge.com