SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Joins Forces with GS Power Partners to Cut Energy Costs Through NY-Based Community Solar Farm

GS Power Partners (GSPP), a leading Independent Power Producer in the distributed generation (DG) solar sector, announced that the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), a leader in environmental education and innovation, has subscribed to GSPP’s Saratoga II community solar farm. SUNY ESF signed on to the solar farm, which is located in Middle Grove NY, through a partnership with GSPP and Community Solar Authority (CSA). In addition to delivering substantial savings, the initiative supports the development of renewable energy infrastructure in upstate New York, reinforcing ESF’s commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

“As one of the first large-scale SUNY participants in community solar, ESF is leading by example in pursuing cost-effective and community-centered sustainability solutions,” said Amanda Zurla, GSPP’s Chief Development Officer. “Through our partnership with CSA, we were able to connect ESF with an existing project so they would realize the benefits quickly. It is our hope that the program will expand to other campuses in the future.”

Driven to set the standard for sustainability, ESF began searching for a community solar partner to help them support renewable energy production affordably. GSPP was able to meet ESF’s requirement for consolidated billing, and is delivering a 10 percent savings on electricity delivery costs at the main Syracuse campus, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars annually.

“We wanted to find a solution that aligned with our sustainability goals, reduced our utility expenses, and didn’t create more administrative burden,” said Michael Amadori, Energy Manager at SUNY ESF. “Community solar checked all those boxes. And most importantly, it delivers clean, affordable energy to our communities and contributes to the decarbonization of the grid.”

In addition to SUNY ESF, hundreds of households in New York State benefit from Saratoga II community solar credits through National Grid. Community solar adds another layer of sustainability to ESF’s campus, which is also moving toward all-electric heating systems, training staff on new energy technologies, and exploring additional heat recovery strategies.

“Michael and the ESF team were instrumental in pushing this project through the public procurement process, because they see the value in community solar,” said Dakota Malone, Managing Partner at CSA. “Being from the Syracuse area ourselves, helping ESF to find the right community solar provider meant a lot to our team.”

Community Solar Authority | www.communitysolarauthority.com

GS Power Partners | www.gspowerpartners.com