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Affordable Solar and Storage Predevelopment and Technical Assistance

 

The Affordable Solar and Storage Predevelopment and Technical Assistance solicitation provides funding to address resource gaps and solve market barriers preventing the development of solar and energy storage installations benefitting low-to-moderate income (LMI) households.

To help expand access, this program supports projects that will lead to:

  • The implementation and operation of solar and/or storage installations for affordable housing
  • The implementation and operation of community solar installations that will offer benefits to LMI households and/or affordable housing
  • The implementation and operation of community-led solar and/or storage installations that will offer benefits to LMI households 

Projects related to on-site solar and/or energy storage installations for owner-occupied houses are not eligible for funding through this solicitation. However, single-family affordable housing portfolios may be eligible for support, and NY-Sun offers additional incentives for LMI homeowners to go solar.

Interested applicants can visit the program FAQ page to learn more about project eligibility and the application process.

NY-Sun hosts quarterly webinars to provide an overview of the Affordable Solar and Storage Predevelopment and Technical Assistance program, address any program updates, and provide an opportunity for interested applicants to ask questions.

If you have questions about the solicitation, please email [email protected].

If you would like to receive ongoing communications and updates about the NY-Sun Affordable Solar program, please sign-up for our email list.

How It Works

Eligible applicants include multifamily affordable housing providers, community organizations or agencies, and technical service providers (such as in energy, legal, or finance) working in partnership with any of these entities.

Proposals may request funding that will be scaled to the scope and complexity of the project up to $200,000 for predevelopment and technical assistance work on a proposed solar and/or energy storage project or group of projects. This program funds project activities in areas including, but not limited to:

  • Early-stage project planning, project team organization, and site identification
  • Organizing a project business model and securing financing
  • Procurement and contracting
  • Customer outreach and enrollment
  • Preliminary site assessments
  • Development of cooperative or community ownership model
  • Development of project models that allocate benefits to an environmental justice (EJ) community
  • Resiliency enhancements activities for LMI households, EJ communities, or disadvantaged communities by solar and/or storage projects

This funding does not apply to system design, engineering, hardware, installation, or other costs related to the construction of a solar project.

How To Apply

Applications to the Affordable Solar and Storage Predevelopment and Technical Assistance program will be accepted on a rolling basis via the application portal Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. and reviewed quarterly. Please review PON 3414 Current Funding OpportunitiesLink opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. for program details and required attachments. The deadline for applications is December 31, 2029.  

Past Webinars

Webinar Date Webinar Title Topics Covered
January 18, 2024 Q1 2024 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program and answered attendees’ questions.
September 7, 2023 Q3 2023 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program, highlighted Con Edison’s Make Ready Program, and answered attendees’ questions.
June 1, 2023 Q2 2023 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program, addressed HUD Multifamily Housing guidance, and answered attendees’ questions.
March 2, 2023 Q1 2023 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program, addressed changes to the MW Block Program in the Con Edison region, and answered attendees’ questions.
December 1, 2022 Q4 2022 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program and answered attendees’ questions.
September 8, 2022 Q3 2022 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program, addressed the April 2022 Order Expanding the NY-Sun Program, and answered attendees’ questions.
June 2, 2022 Q2 2022 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program, addressed the April 2022 Order Expanding the NY-Sun Program, and answered attendees’ questions.
March 3, 2022 Q1 2022 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program and answered attendees’ questions.
December 16, 2021 Q4 2021 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. The Akwesasne Housing Authority presented on their 1.2 MW solar farm that has been providing affordable energy to tribal members of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe since 2020. This project was supported by the Predevelopment Program.
September 2, 2021 Q3 2021 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. ICF presented on the Saratoga Springs Affordable Housing Solar Initiative, a partnership with the Sarasota Springs Housing Authority and local affordable housing providers to procure over 2.4 MW of solar capacity for affordable housing providers and residents in and around Saratoga Springs. This project was supported by the Predevelopment Program.
June 17, 2021 Q2 2021 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program and answered attendees’ questions.
March 4, 2021 Q1 2021 NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. The Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB) presented on Co-ops Go Solar, a free technical advisement and support program for Housing Development Fund Corporations (HDFC) co-ops considering solar energy. This project was supported by the Predevelopment Program.
January 28, 2021 Launch of NY-Sun Predevelopment Program Quarterly Webinar Series Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. The first webinar of a new quarterly series that provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program and answered attendees’ questions.
July 14, 2020 Predevelopment Program Re-launch Webinar Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided details regarding the re-launch of the Predevelopment Program, including a summary of changes, and answered attendees’ questions.
December 15, 2016 Affordable Solar Predevelopment and Technical Assistance: Program Rules and Application Link opens in new window - close new window to return to this page. This webinar provided an overview of the Predevelopment Program and answered attendees’ questions.

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