A New Solar Project in Brooklyn Could Offer a Model For Climate Justice
(NYCEDC)
Community solar is gaining momentum nationwide, but uptake is low among those who could benefit most. This grassroots NYC project aims to change that.
An industrial waterfront in Brooklyn, New York, is transforming from a gritty area of abandoned warehouses and crumbling piers into a hub of clean energy activity. A terminal for assembling giant offshore wind turbines is well under construction, and plans are taking shape for a $100 million center where startups can test new climatetech solutions.
Now the shoreside stretch is set to add a clean energy project to its portfolio: a unique solar initiative driven by the local community.
Construction will begin early this year on the 725-kilowatt array, which is spearheaded by the grassroots organization UPROSE and will span the roof of a former military supply base. The project is expected to reduce the energy bills of some 150 participating households in Sunset Park — a mainly working-class neighborhood of Asian, Latino, and immigrant communities. Revenue from selling power to the grid will go into a community wealth fund that allows residents to invest in local programs, including potentially more solar.
“For me, this is more than just renewable energy; it’s a model of how we take control over our climate future, our economic future,” said Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE. 01-06-25
