The Hudson Valley can serve as a model for effective climate solutions. Scenic Hudson’s How To Solar Now toolkit supports communities in a rapid transition to a sustainable, low carbon region increasingly powered by clean, emission-free renewable energy while also protecting and preserving our invaluable scenic, historic, agricultural, environmental and economic resources.Â
The various tools below offer knowledge and resources to make informed decisions that are key to making the most of solar energy in your community.
Scenic Hudson’s Solar Mapping Tool for your Hudson Valley community
This web-based interactive tool combines mapped information with education and guidance to help your community proactively plan for smart solar energy development. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping layers to identify natural resources (forests, agricultural lands, wetlands, etc.) and overlay them with important characteristics for solar development, such as gentle slopes and distance to transmission lines.
The Solar Mapping Tool helps communities make smart solar decisions to guide planning and zoning for future projects, evaluate developer proposals, and identify preferred sites to bring local energy to residents while minimizing impacts on nature and people.
Use the button below to learn more and access Scenic Hudson’s Solar Mapping Tool.
Our January 21, 2021 virtual conference introduced Scenic Hudson’s How To Solar Now toolkit, including a detailed overview and demonstration of the new Solar Mapping Tool and how it can help local stakeholders and solar developers with smart solar planning in Hudson Valley communities. Watch the event recording here!
Solar Mapping for Other Regions
Clean Energy, Green Communities: A Guide to Siting Renewable Energy in the Hudson Valley
Clean Energy, Green Communities helps host communities, developers, landholders, and community members engaged in the transition to renewable energy to make smart solar decisions and find common ground on siting projects. This guide provides principles and recommendations for proper siting, design, construction, and operation of renewable energy facilities to protect natural resources.
The “smart from the start” approach — avoiding conflicts from the start — can boost public support, reduce costs and delay, protect resources, and promote successful development to achieve renewable energy targets.
Solar Ready, Climate Resilient: Best Practices and Recommendations for Solar Zoning in the Hudson Valley
Solar Ready, Climate Resilient is a “how to” handbook for developing and updating local zoning laws to facilitate smart solar energy system development at all scales in the Hudson Valley. As state targets and programs promote accelerated solar energy development, it is critical for communities to be in a “solar ready” rather than reactionary position.  The handbook sets out a series of best practices, recommendations and practice tips to empower communities to take advantage of their solar energy resources and translate local policies and goals into clear and enforceable regulations.
OTHER SOLAR RESOURCES
