Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New York State has installed 8 gigawatts of distributed solar energy, achieving the state's goal of 10 gigawatts ahead of schedule by 2030. This growth in the distributed solar market has generated approximately $12.2 billion in private investment and created over 16,000 jobs in the state.

"New York continues to set higher standards for solar energy within our state's communities, celebrating another milestone," Hochul said. "This low-cost, reliable clean energy is delivering cost savings to households and businesses while expanding the availability of renewable resources, benefiting our environment, our economy, and contributing to New York's diverse energy resource mix."

There is sufficient solar energy to power over 1.3 million households and businesses in the state. Currently, more than 276,000 projects are in operation, with an additional 2.7 gigawatts under development. Community solar projects expand access to clean energy in New York by allowing households and businesses to participate in solar initiatives without installing panels on their own properties.

"New York is home to 35% of the nation's community solar installations—ensuring its position as the largest community solar market in the country," said Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). "Solar power is one of the most reliable contributors to our state's grid, generating electricity during peak loads and reducing energy costs for all New Yorkers, not just those participating in community solar programs."

Last summer, solar power helped New York City save approximately $90 million in electricity demand during peak hours, reducing reliance on the power grid. On June 3rd, New York set a new solar power generation record, with solar energy supplying about 29% of the state's electricity demand at noon.

"We are witnessing the benefits of New York's solar assets in real time," said Rory Christian, Chairman and CEO of the New York State Public Service Commission. "Solar is alleviating stress on our grid while delivering significant reliability advantages during peak demand periods. This milestone we celebrate today is a victory for achieving affordable and clean energy for all New Yorkers."

After achieving its initial target of 6 gigawatts for distributed solar power in 2024, New York installed a record 1.28 gigawatts of solar capacity in 2025. The NY-Sun program offers incentives for households, businesses, and communities to make solar energy more affordable and accessible while reducing their energy costs and enhancing grid efficiency and reliability. In 2027, Hochul allocated $200 million in New York's budget for NY-Sun, which will help expand the state's solar success and further improve energy affordability for all New Yorkers.