Renewable Energy
Maximizing the development of solar power while protecting the region's priceless natural resources, scenic views, and historic sites.
In the Hudson Valley, climate change has led to rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, more frequent high-intensity storms, and sea level rise.
New York has adopted ambitious new policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight this existential threat. The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act mandates that 70 percent of electricity come from renewable sources by 2030 and 100 percent from carbon-free sources by 2040.
These policies will transition the state’s energy supply away from fossil-fuel power plants and toward a central energy grid with clean power coming from large wind and solar farms, as well as smaller-scale projects.
The Hudson Valley already is making strides to do its part — focusing on solar energy — in achieving these goals.
What’s at stake?
In order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we must protect the natural, scenic, and historic resources on which residents’ health, prosperity, and quality of life depend — while maximizing the development of renewable energy projects across the region.
What we’re doing
With climate change looming as a threat to open spaces, farms, parks, preserves, and people, Scenic Hudson is committed to helping reduce New York State’s greenhouse gas emissions by leading the transition to renewable energy sources in the Hudson Valley.
We have published A Regional Response to Climate Change, a white paper that outlines the organization’s approach to and position on solar energy in the Hudson Valley. Scenic Hudson supports the appropriate siting of solar energy facilities in the Hudson Valley in order to lessen the impacts that climate change will have on the region.
We have also created a toolkit for community members and decision-makers to learn about and ultimately facilitate the development of solar energy in your communities. Our How To Solar Now initiative encompasses education on siting, zoning, mapping, and smart, successful development of solar energy systems on everything from landfills to rooftops.
Solar Ready, Climate Resilient: Best Practices and Recommendations for Solar Zoning in the Hudson Valley
Scenic Hudson’s “Roadmap to a Clean Energy Future”
A Guide to Siting Renewable Energy in the Hudson Valley
A Regional Response to Climate Change
Accelerating Large-Scale Wind and Solar Energy in New York
