Greenbacker Renewable Energy, a clean energy investment manager, has secured $950 million to build the largest solar farm in New York State, the 500-megawatt Cider project. The project, acquired from Hecate Energy, began construction in October and is expected to be completed by 2026. Located on 2,500 acres of land in Genesee County, east of Buffalo, the project will generate enough clean electricity to power around 120,000 New York households annually.

The Cider project is one of 23 large-scale clean energy developments awarded contracts by the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) in December. New York has set a goal of sourcing 70% of its electricity from clean energy by 2030. The Solar Energy Industries Association ranks New York 8th nationally for solar capacity, with 6,493 megawatts of solar power currently installed, enough to power 1,127,865 homes.

The Cider project is expected to be a significant contributor to New York’s clean energy goals, which aim to move the state to 5th place in the nation for solar capacity in five years. For homeowners interested in making their homes more resilient to power outages, solar panels with battery storage systems can provide a reliable source of energy. EnergySage, a free service, can help find trusted and reliable solar installers near you, offering competitive pricing and unbiased guidance throughout the process.