Saint Rose combats climate change with local solar power initiative

Since late 2018, The College of Saint Rose has been involved in the Hope Community Solar project. This project allows institutions like Saint Rose to save money and do their part to mitigate climate change. Hope Community Solar is a New York state program that enables businesses, institutions, and families alike to participate in solar energy by subscribing their utility account to a piece of a larger shared solar farm in New York. Anyone can participate in this program – owning a home or property is not required. 

“It costs you nothing to join, you pay a discount for the solar credits applied to your utility bill, and you support local solar energy,” says Jason Kaplan, COO of Power Market, the company that sponsors Community Solar. “The program was built to be flexible – you can cancel at any time without penalty or fee – and you are guaranteed to save every month. 

The challenge, Kaplan explains, is that the program sounds too good to be true. “This is why having participants like The College of Saint Rose is so important,” he says. “The College can share its experience that these promised benefits are both good and true.”

Saint Rose decided to get involved in this project because it is another way to set an example for and give back to the community while saving money. 

“We want to do our part in being a steward for the environment and to contribute towards a healthier planet,” explains Gary Goss, the College’s associate vice president of facilities operations. “We also want to set an example for our dear neighbor and show that we still do live by our core values, taught by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet. Lastly, we were able to realize real dollar savings from utilizing the community solar program.” 

Since enrolling, the College has saved close to $30,000 for the 66 electrical accounts enrolled at the Hope Community Solar Farm.

To learn more about Hope Community Solar and Power Market, visit their website.

By Kaseem Gomez