Solar projects in the Finger Lakes top 2,200 in six years

Solar projects in the Finger Lakes region grew from 266 to 2,257 in the last six years, or 748 percent. Statewide, projects soared to 78,323 from 9,079 during the same period.

Solar power, in terms of megawatts, jumped more than 1,000 percent December 2011 to December 2017, leveraging more than $2.8 billion in private investment, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office said.

The largest percentage increase in solar power was in New York City, followed by the Mohawk Valley, Mid-Hudson, Central New York and the Capital Region.

In 2014, Cuomo committed nearly $1 billion to the NY-Sun program to stimulate the marketplace and increase the number of solar electric systems across the state over 10 years. NY-Sun aims to add a total of three gigawatts of installed solar capacity in New York by 2023. One gigawatt equals 1,000 megawatts. New York now has more than 12,000 workers engaged in solar jobs.

The following table highlights the significant expansion of solar power under New York State Energy Research and Development Authority  in each region of the state from the end of 2011 through the end of December 2017: