Hecate Energy says its siting application for the 500-megawatt (MW) Cider Solar Farm has received state approval.
The ruling from the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) approves Cider Solar Farm – the largest solar energy generation project ever permitted in the state.
“This permit marks a major milestone, not only for Hecate Energy, but in making meaningful progress toward New York State’s ambitious climate goals,” said Harrison Luna, Hecate Energy’s project developer for the Cider Solar Farm. “We are appreciative of the support and coordination for the Cider Solar Project that we received from civic leadership of the Oakfield and Elba town governments. Hecate Energy experienced a positive, collaborative interaction with ORES during the permitting process, which was key in advancing this project.”
The solar arm will be built on 3,000 acres in Elba and Oakfield and construction is expected to start by 2023. When complete, the project will be connected to the New York State electricity grid through the Dysinger-New Rochester 345kV transmission line.
“Cider Solar Farm represents a significant $500 million private infrastructure investment in Western New York — not only will this project create hundreds of local jobs, but it will also directly fund local governments, schools, and community services like the fire department and ambulance squad,” said Luna.
The solar farm could supply 920,000 megawatt-hours of renewable electricity per year — enough to power over 120,000 average New York households. The emissions-free energy from Cider Solar Farm is expected to offset 718,694 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, which according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is equivalent to the annual emissions from 141,794 passenger vehicles.
