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GCEDC approves incentives for five Genesee County projects

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors on Thursday approved incentives for five projects with a total capital investment of roughly $28 million and accepted an initial application for a proposal by Liberty Pumps for a $13.7 million expansion of the company’s manufacturing facility.

GCEDC approved incentives for Gateway GS LLC for the build-out of a third 27,000 square-foot building at the Gateway II Corporate Park in the town of Batavia. Gateway will receive mortgage, sales and property tax exemptions of some $386,000.

Gateway plans to invest roughly $2.36 million. The proposed facility is expected to be completed in 2022 and will create 21 new jobs with an average salary of $42,000 annually, plus benefits. It is estimated that the project will generate $28 of investment into the local economy for every $1 of incentives.

The organization also approved final applications for incentives for four community solar projects with a combined generation of 15.65 megawatts.

Trousdale Solar LLC and Trousdale Solar II LLC are building two projects that total $14.8 million of investment on Ellicott Street Road in the town of Batavia. The projects will generate 5 MW and 4 MW of electricity and more than $930,000 in future revenues to Genesee County and the Batavia City School District over 15 years. The projects will receive roughly $2.5 million in property and sales tax incentives.

Batavia Solar LLC (YSG Solar) is building a $3.5 million solar project at the Upstate MedTech Park in the town of Batavia. The project will generate 1.65 MW of electricity and more than $150,000 in future revenues to Genesee County and the Byron-Bergen School District. The proposed project agreement is estimated to provide some $500,000 in property and sales tax incentives.

NY CDG Genesee 1 LLC plans to build a $7.3 million solar project on Oak Orchard Road in the town of Elba. The project will generate 5 MW of electricity and more than $518,000 in future revenues to Genesee County, the town of Elba and the Elba Central School District. The project is estimated to provide $1.2 million in property and sales tax incentives.

The board approved an application for consideration of incentives from Liberty Pumps. Liberty Pumps is proposing to make a $13.7 million capital investment to expand its manufacturing operations at the Apple Tree Acres business park in the town of Bergen.

The family- and employee-owned company is proposing to build 107,000 square feet of new warehouse and manufacturing space to accommodate the continued growth of the business. The project is expected to create some 30 jobs over three years while retaining its current employment of roughly 280.

The company is requesting $1.4 million in property and sales tax exemptions. The project is estimated to produce $29 of investment into the local economy for every $1 of incentives. A public hearing will be conducted because incentives total more than $100,000.

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Inclusive solar program to provide funding for community projects

The state of New York has launched the Inclusive Community Solar Adder program that will make $52.5 million available for community solar projects that support underserved New Yorkers and disadvantaged communities.

Projects funded through the program are expected to serve up to 50,000 low-to-moderate income households, affordable housing providers and facilities serving disadvantaged communities, which will receive energy savings from the renewable energy generated by community solar.

Administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the program provides an additional incentive for NY-Sun community solar projects that dedicate at least 20 percent of their project to low-to-moderate income households and disadvantaged communities. The program will increase access to community solar, help customers save at least 10 percent on their electric bills and reduce operating costs for affordable housing and nonprofits serving disadvantaged communities.

“As we build a more resilient grid, it’s of critical importance that we remove barriers and scale up access to clean, renewable energy resources for all New Yorkers,” said NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen Harris in a statement. “NYSERDA’s Inclusive Community Solar Adder program is unique in that it takes a two-pronged approach to increasing access to solar energy and cost savings by serving both families and affordable housing providers who support residents in disadvantaged communities.”

The program design was informed by a Request for Information issued by NYSERDA in December 2020, and by stakeholders who participated in a March 2021 webinar hosted by NYSERDA. Another webinar on the program will be held on July 28.

“The launch of the Inclusive Community Solar Adder program is a big step towards expanding the cost-savings and clean energy benefits of New York’s community solar program to low- and moderate-income residents,” said Coalition for Community Solar Access Northeast Regional Director Kaitlin Kelly O’Neill. “We are excited to see the hard work and commitment of NYSERDA resulting in a dedicated resource that further expands the accessibility of community solar projects for all the state’s energy consumers.”

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State achieves solar milestone

Three gigawatts of solar have been installed statewide, enough to power more than half a million homes, New York state officials said this week.

Since the launch of the NY-Sun initiative in 2011, solar has grown 2,100 percent statewide and declined in cost by 69% while fostering roughly 12,000 jobs statewide. When combined with the projects that are under development, the new milestone represents 95% of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s goal to install six gigawatts of solar by 2025, as mandated in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

“Solar energy is a key component in New York’s transition to a clean energy economy as we work to reduce harmful emissions across the board and address the dual challenges of fighting climate change and rebuilding stronger post-pandemic,” Cuomo said in a statement. “The success of NY-Sun demonstrates we are on track to meeting our nation-leading energy goals while stimulating green job growth and economic recovery in communities across the state as part of our comprehensive plan to reimagine New York following the pandemic.”

In 2020, New York ranked first in the nation in community solar installations and second for total installations. Last year was also the state’s most productive year for solar installations, with 549 megawatts of capacity installed, the majority of which was supported by NY-Sun incentives. New York’s policies have ensured solar reaches every county in the state with Long Island, Mid-Hudson, and the Capital Region with the most installed solar, officials noted.

“As someone who grew up near Lake Erie and saw first-hand the harmful effects caused by emissions from the local steel plant, creating a cleaner, greener future has always been a personal fight for me,” Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “By reaching the historic milestone of three gigawatts of solar installed in New York, we can now power more than a half-million homes with clean energy, while also creating good jobs and attracting further investment in our State’s green energy economy.”

In addition to the three gigawatts of distributed solar installed statewide, there are an additional 2.7 gigawatts of solar that have been awarded NY-Sun incentives and are now under development across the state. The projects are expected to come online in the next two years with enough capacity to power an additional 477,000 homes.

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GCEDC approves incentives for two Genesee County projects

The Genesee County Economic Development Center has approved incentives for projects totaling $13.5 million of new capital investment.

Forefront Power LLC, aka Elba Solar, will invest nearly $10 million to build a 5-megawatt community solar project on Norton Road in the town of Elba. The project will generate roughly $519,000 in new revenue to Genesee County, the town of Elba and the Elba Central School District over the proposed 15-year agreement.

The project also will fund a community benefit agreement for workforce development and economic development projects in the county. Forefront Power will receive $1.416 million in sales and property tax exemptions.

Batavia Special Needs Apartments L.P. plans to invest $3.75 million to add 20 living units to an existing special needs housing campus on East Main Street in the city of Batavia. The organization will receive roughly $772,000 in sales and property tax exemptions. Additional revenues from the project will be added to an existing payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement for the development.

The GCEDC board also accepted an application by NY CDG Genesee 1 LLC, aka BW Solar, for a proposed 5 MW community solar project on Oak Orchard Road in the town of Elba with a capital cost of $7.326 million. The project would generate roughly $519,000 in new revenue to Genesee County, the town of Elba and the Elba Central School District over the proposed 15-year agreement.

A public hearing on the project is scheduled for May 17 at 10 a.m. as the project’s developer is requesting incentives of more than $100,000.

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GCEDC approves incentives for Plug Power mega-site

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) board of directors has approved incentives for Plug Power Inc.’s green hydrogen production facility at the Western New York Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park.

Billed as North America’s largest green energy technology facility, the project is expected to cost $232.7 million. Plug Power also will invest $55 million to help build a 345/115KV electric substation in partnership with the New York Power Authority and National Grid. The substation will support future expansion and growth opportunities at STAMP’s 1,250-acre mega-site.

Under the incentives application approved by the GCEDC board, Plug Power will contribute roughly $2.3 million annually to support local municipalities and infrastructure development under a 20-year agreement.

“The investments by Plug Power Inc. will advance our region’s expanding green hydrogen economy, create good jobs aligned with our county’s workforce training programs, and advance major infrastructure that is accessible to future projects,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde in a statement. “This project by Plug Power, along with the team effort by the GCEDC board of directors, Empire State Development, the New York Power Authority and National Grid, show our capacity to advance regionally significant projects at STAMP.”

Plug Power will receive a variety of incentives for the project, both locally and at the state level. GCEDC has offered an estimated sales tax exemption of $1.113 million and a property tax abatement of $117.748 million for a total of $18.861 million, officials said. Plug Power would get a 20-year fixed PILOT payment of $498,772 annually for a total of $9.975 million. And the company also agreed to a host community infrastructure agreement for 20 years for a fixed payment of $1.8 million per year.

In addition to Plug Power, GCEDC also approved or accepted applications from five projects totaling $420 million of capital investment in Genesee County.

The board approved final incentives for Forefront Power LLC (Elba Solar) for a $9.7 million community solar project on Norton Road in the town of Elba. The project will generate 5MW of power and generate some $518,803 in new revenue to Genesee County, the town of Elba and the Elba Central School District over the proposed 15-year agreement.

The board also approved final incentives for Solar Liberty for community solar projects on Tesnow Road in the town of Pembroke at a capital investment of $7.7 million. The projects will generate 4MW and 5MW of power and will generate roughly $856,024 in new revenue to Genesee County, the town of Pembroke and the Akron Central School District over the proposed 15-year agreement.

Finally, the GCEDC board accepted initial applications for two other projects that include:

  • Excelsior Energy LLC is proposing to invest $345.55 million in a utility-scale solar project on multiple properties in the town of Byron. The project will generate 280 MW of power. Excelsior has negotiated a 20-year tax and community host agreements, including payments of $6,500 per MW, with a 2 percent annual escalator, to Genesee County, the town of Byron and the Byron-Bergen School District.
  • DePaul Special Needs Apartments L.P. is proposing to invest $3.75 million to expand by 20 living units an existing special needs housing campus in the city of Batavia. The project would increase annual payments in lieu of taxes payments by roughly $6,000 per year for the remainder of the facility’s existing PILOT schedule.

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GCEDC to consider six projects for incentives

The Genesee County Economic Development Center board of directors will consider six projects for incentives at its May 25 meeting.

In addition to considering final approval of incentives for Plug Power Inc.’s proposed $232.7 million green energy technology facility at Western New York Science & Technology Advanced Manufacturing Park, projects totaling another $420 million of capital investment in Genesee County will be considered.

Plug Power’s facility would create roughly 68 new jobs initially at an average starting salary of some $70,000, and contribute roughly $2.3 million annually to support local municipalities and infrastructure development under a 20-year agreement.

The GCEDC board also will consider final approval of applications for incentives for three community solar projects:
• Forefront Power LLC (Elba Solar) is proposing to invest $9.7 million in a community solar project on Norton Road in the town of Elba. The project will produce 5MW of power and will generate roughly $518,803 in new revenue to Genesee County, the town of Elba and the Elba Central School District over the proposed 15-year agreement.
• Solar Liberty is proposing to invest $7.7 million in two community solar projects on Tesnow Road in the town of Pembroke. The projects will generate 4MW and 5MW of power and will generate roughly $856,024 in new revenue to Genesee County, the town of Pembroke and the Akron Central School District over the proposed 15-year agreement.

Additionally, the GCEDC board will consider accepting initial applications for two other projects:
• Excelsior Energy LLC is proposing to invest more than $345 million in a utility-scale solar project on multiple properties in the town of Byron. The project will generate 280 MW of power. Excelsior has negotiated a 20-year tax and community host agreements, including payments of $6,500 per MW, with a 2 percent annual escalator, to Genesee County, the town of Byron and the Byron Bergen School District.
• DePaul Special Needs Apartments L.P. is proposing to invest $3.75 million to expand by 20 living units an existing special needs housing campus in the city of Batavia. The project would increase annual payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) payments by roughly $6,000 per year for the remainder of the facility’s existing PILOT schedule.

GCEDC is the primary economic development agency in Genesee County. The GCEDC’s mission is to provide the resources to foster community economic success and facilitate new business attraction in order to build a sustainable long-term economy.

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Rochester Regional Health one step closer to clean energy goal

Rochester Regional Health expects to save more than $220,000 a year through a community solar program with Nexamp. The program will support the expansion of clean energy resources at Rochester Regional Health’s facilities while also sharing the benefits with the community.

RRH has set a goal of sourcing all of its electricity through renewable sources by 2025. The organization is combining community solar with its own on-site solar, energy efficiency measures and other initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint.

“We know that hospitals and clinics use much more energy than a typical business, and we have made a conscious decision to manage our resources carefully so that we can ensure a healthy environment and create a more sustainable community,” said Mike Waller, director of sustainability for RRH. “The ability to complement our on-site solar with a community solar agreement gives us the opportunity to offset energy usage at our many sites across the region, while also providing a green energy option for our neighbors.”

Nexamp operates dozens of community solar farms across New York state. As an anchor off-taker, Rochester Regional Health will receive a larger portion of the credit from each project, with individual residential subscribers taking the rest.

“The community solar program in New York makes it possible to increase the generation of clean energy and share those benefits with both business and residents,” said David Wells, director of community solar in New York for Nexamp. “We are focused on helping all energy users achieve sustainability and cost savings in parallel. Distributed generation of clean solar energy from the sun is meeting the needs of communities and is an important step in the de-carbonization of our society moving forward.”

Initially, Rochester Regional Health will receive credit for 9.7 MW from five projects located in Rochester Gas & Electric, National Grid and New York State Electric and Gas service territories. The clean energy generated at these projects is fed directly to the local utility grid and Rochester Regional Health receives credit for the value of that energy on its regular electric bills, helping to lower its costs while offsetting its use of electricity from traditional sources.

Three community solar farms in Spencerport will provide solar credits to Rochester General Hospital, Unity Hospital and St. Mary’s Campus. A community solar farm in Lockport will provide solar credits to United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia and a community solar farm in Ghent, Columbia County, will provide solar credits to Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic and Newark-Wayne Community Hospital.

Officials noted that with no up-front investment, long-term commitment or equipment to install, community solar is equally accessible to all homeowners or renters, independent of income or credit history. For businesses such as hospitals, manufacturers, retailers and others, community solar is ideal because it can be used on its own or paired with on-site solar generation to further reduce environmental impact.

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Genesee County considering incentives for additional solar project

The Genesee County Economic Development Center has accepted an application for more solar projects.

Batavia Solar LLC is proposing to invest roughly $3.5 million to build a 165 MW community solar farm in the town of Batavia. GCEDC accepted the proposal at its Aug. 6 board meeting, but because the total incentive amount exceeds $100,000, a public hearing will be scheduled before a final vote on project incentives.

As with previously approved community solar projects, Batavia Solar is proposing to contribute payments of $5,500 per MW at a 2 percent annual escalator over 15 years if GCEDC approves the incentives being sought by the company. Batavia Solar also would contribute to a workforce development and local economic development programming fund.

The proposed addition will bring the total megawatts of power to 30, and municipalities in Genesee County would now be projected to generate revenues of more than $3 million over 15 years, with nearly $2 million of those revenues going to school districts.

Batavia Solar is asking for roughly $500,000 in sales, mortgage and property taxes. The project is estimated to generate a $42.35 to $1 rate of return based on existing property taxes.

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Incentives approved for Genesee County’s sixth solar project

The Genesee County Economic Development Center has approved incentives for a $6 million solar project in the town of Batavia.

Bright Oak Solar LLC is the sixth community solar project proposed to the GCEDC board in 2020 and combined, the projects are expected to generate roughly $28 million in capital investments in the county. The six solar farms will generate up to 26 megawatts of solar energy, officials said.

Bright Oak Solar’s project is a 4MW community solar project to be located on Galloway Road in the town of Batavia. The incentives include payments in lieu of taxes over the next 15 years, which are estimated to generate more than $122,000 in revenues to Genesee County and nearly $258,000 in revenues to the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District.

The total increase in PILOT payments and real property taxes for the project is estimated at $394,139 over 15 years.

GCEDC is the primary economic development agency in Genesee County. Its mission is to assist local economic development efforts by serving in a conduit financing capacity enabling the issuance of taxable and non-taxable debt to benefit the growth, expansion, ongoing operations and continued viability of for-profit business enterprise in Genesee County.

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GCEDC approves incentives for seven economic development projects

The Genesee County Economic Development Center has approved incentives for a number of projects that will improve solar capacity and add jobs in the region.

The seven projects approved for assistance have vowed to make more than $45 million in capital investments.

The Ellicott Station initiative is a $22 million mixed-use brownfield redevelopment project in downtown Batavia that will include the construction of 55 workforce apartments as part of the adaptive re-use of a former manufacturing facility. The project will transform a major gateway to the city, officials said. Project developers have applied for support from the state Office of Community Renewal.

Ellicott Place is a $3.1 million redevelopment of 45-47 Ellicott St. by V.J. Gautieri Constructors. The project includes the construction of 10 second-floor apartments at the existing facility, as well as the development of first-floor storefronts and building-wide façade improvements.

Both projects support Genesee County’s EDGE economic development strategy for housing to support the growth of local businesses and were recognized as strategic projects in the Downtown Revitalization Initiative announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2018.

Five community solar projects proposed by Borrego Solar include capital investments of roughly $21.6 million and are projected to produce more than $2 million to local taxing jurisdictions, including the Elba, Pembroke and Akron school districts, over 15 years. Each project also would contribute $25,000 toward a community benefit agreement to support STEM education and economic development initiatives, GCEDC officials said.

Borrego’s projects will be located at 3104 W. Main St. Road, 3232 W. Main St. Road and 5230 Batavia-Stafford Townline Road in the town of Batavia, and at 241 E. Knapp Road and 241 W. Knapp Road in the town of Pembroke.

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GCEDC to consider assistance for five solar farm projects

The Genesee County Economic Development Center this week will consider final resolutions for five community solar projects.

Borrego Solar plans to invest roughly $22 million across the five projects, which would generate 22 MW of energy for residential and commercial subscribers. The projects are expected to generate a total of more than $2.09 million in future revenues to the municipalities and schools they are located in.

In the town of Batavia, the company has submitted applications for assistance for three solar farms in the Elba Central School District and Pembroke Central School Districts.

If approved, the proposed payments in lieu of taxes, or PILOTs, for the three projects will generate more than $390,000 in revenue to Genesee County, more than $433,000 in revenue to Pembroke Central Schools and more than $318,000 in revenue to Elba Central School over 15 years.

In the town of Pembroke, Borrego has submitted applications for assistance for two solar farms on Knapp Road East and Knapp Road West, both in the Akron Central School District. If approved, the PILOTS would generate roughly $365,000 in revenue to Genesee County and more than $586,000 to the Akron Central Schools.

The GCEDC board will consider the proposals at its March 5 meeting.

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