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The City of Kingston has announced a new round of its Community Solar program, offering income-eligible residents the chance to save up to 20% on their monthly electricity bills without any upfront costs. Mayor Steven Noble shared that the city is partnering with the local non-profit Mid-Hudson Energy Transition to provide affordable, renewable energy to residents.
The program connects residents to the Moores Hill Community Solar Project, a 3,750-kilowatt solar farm in New Windsor, New York, currently under construction by Lodestar Energy. Once operational, the project will generate solar credits that will be applied directly to participants' utility bills, offsetting their electricity usage charges. Savings are expected to begin in 2024 and continue for 20 years.
The initiative is part of Kingston's Community Choice Aggregation program and targets low-to-moderate income households and state-designated disadvantaged communities. According to Times Union, more than 6,000 households in Kingston are eligible to participate, with space limited to approximately 550 households. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Mayor Noble emphasized the program's dual benefits for residents and the environment, stating, "By making it easier for our residents to save money and support clean energy at the same time, we are actively taking positive steps for both our environment and our local economy." The city will host public information meetings to provide an overview of the program, and a mailer with more details will be sent to eligible households.
For more information or to enroll, residents can visit the Kingston Community Solar website or contact PowerMarket, the program's community solar provider.