Con Edison Customers’ Solar Energy Installations on Pace for Another Record-Breaking Year

Con Edison customers are on pace to break last year’s record for solar installations and the company continues to set new records for electric vehicle charge point installations according to its third quarter Clean Energy Update.

The report shows a continuing upward trend in customer-owned renewable energy projects and demonstrates Con Edison’s deep commitment to ushering in a clean energy future equitably and efficiently so every New Yorker can share in the benefits of a more sustainable grid.

“Con Edison is committed to working with its customers and stakeholders to meet New York’s clean energy goals with the industry-leading reliability our customers expect and deserve,” said Raghusimha Sudhakara, Con Edison’s vice president for Distributed Resources Integration. “We’re thrilled to see our customers embracing solar power, battery storage and EV chargers across our service territory.”

Con Edison’s Clean Energy Update is a quarterly snapshot of four important clean energy technologies: solar generation, battery storage, electric vehicles and building electrification adopted by customers in the five boroughs of New York City and Westchester County. The data reflected in this update is collected as part of the company’s work to build infrastructure capabilities, programs and incentives that make it easier for customers to install clean energy technologies in their homes and businesses.

Solar Generation

Con Edison customers have more than 554 megawatts (MW) of solar generating capacity on their roofs.

If Con Edison customers were a utility-scale solar generator, they would be the largest producer of solar energy in the state with the capacity to produce of about $70 million worth of electricity in a year.

Queens customers have the most solar installations, with 20,762 projects.

Westchester County customers continue to lead solar generation capacity with 148.7 MW followed closely by Queens’ 144.4 MW. Staten Islanders have installed 111.7 MW of capacity.

Forecast

This year is on pace to exceed 2022’s record for solar installations. The company expects the market to remain strong over the coming decade as its customers embrace clean energy.

Trends

Solar energy production has reached a global tipping point, setting it on a trajectory to “dominate global energy markets,” according to this recent study.

Innovations

Installing a battery system along with solar panels in a home or business can offer a customer a new level of control over energy consumption.

 Con Edison is also exploring technology that would improve the efficiency of solar panels by capturing their thermal energy or waste heat. Using inexpensive piping, these new solar panels capture the warmth of the sun and use that energy to heat and cool water and air and produce electricity. To learn more about Con Edison’s work on improving energy efficiency by recovering waste heat energy, listen to this episode of Current Thought.

Battery Storage

Con Edison customers installed 36 MW of storage capacity during the third quarter. They have now completed 556 installations.

Customers in Westchester County completed 500 of the 556 battery storage projects with the capacity to store 13.4 MW. Manhattan has 17 systems installed followed by Brooklyn with 15 completed.

Forecast

Battery safety continues to be a priority. Con Edison works with New York State and the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) on battery safety awareness. The company urges New Yorkers to follow safety rules for batteries including making sure their lithium-ion batteries have been certified by UL or another safety testing lab, using only the charging cables that the manufacturer recommends and safely disposing of damaged batteries. For additional tips visit the FDNY’s website. The National Fire Protection Association also offers safety advice for lithium-ion batteries.

Trends

Con Edison customers and developers in eligible neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens can apply for incentives through the Brooklyn and Queens Energy Storage Incentive Program.

Innovation

Con Edison is working with the New York City Housing Authority on a project that places chargers for e-bikes and e-scooters at NYCHA developments in Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. The charging locations will be designated in accordance with Fire Department of New York guidelines for safety.

Electric Vehicles & Charging

Con Edison’s PowerReady program has supported over 4,600 vehicle charge points since it began in 2020. This year alone more than 1,900 points were installed, setting a new annual record.

Every EV that replaces a gas-powered vehicle on the road means cleaner air for local communities and less carbon pollution fueling climate change.

PowerReady aims to support 19,000 charging plugs by 2025, on the road to 400,000 plugs in 2035 – and 1 million by 2050. Con Edison is also committed to electrifying its own fleet of light-duty vehicles by 2035.

Forecast

The recent adoption of the Green Rides rule by the Taxi & Limousine Commission is expected to drive more EV adoption. An expanded PowerReady program by the NYS Public Service Commission in Q4 will enable Con Edison to support even more charging plugs by 2025 and beyond as EV adoption continues to accelerate. Con Edison is preparing its industry-leading reliable electric grid for this rapid growth in EV load.

Trends

Fast charger installations are halfway to their goal of 457 by 2025. Con Edison is working closely with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) to advance PowerReady and other Con Edison EV programs to help make the transition away from fossil-fuel powered vehicles easier, so more New Yorkers can participate in the clean energy transition.

Innovations

Con Edison’s curbside charging demonstration project with New York City Department of Transportation and FLO continues to outperform goals. Since the beginning of the project, customers have plugged their EVs into curbside charging stations more than 110,000 times, delivering more than 2,400 MWh of driving energy. That is enough electricity to power 67,000 average American homes for an entire day. This program has more than tripled its usage goals.

Con Edison is working in collaboration with customers, city and state officials, community leaders and environmental groups so every New Yorker can share in the benefits of a more sustainable grid. It is one of the components of the company’s Clean Energy Commitment.

Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $16 billion in annual revenues and $64 billion in assets. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam, and serves 3.6 million customers in New York City and Westchester County.