The New York Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Transmission (ORES) has approved construction of Hecate Energy and Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company’s 500MW Cider Solar Farm.
Greenbacker finalised its acquisition of the Cider Solar Farm project from Hecate in 2024, becoming its long-term owner and operator.
It secured US$950m in aggregate financing to support the acquisition, construction, and operation of Cider Solar Farm, which is its largest clean energy project to date.
When complete, it will be the largest solar project in the state of New York, the company said.
The utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) solar project, spanning approximately 2,500 acres near the towns of Elba and Oakfieldin Genesee County, is poised to bring transformative benefits to the region and help advance New York state’s renewable energy goals, it added.
Construction of the Cider Solar Farm is expected to generate hundreds of construction jobs.
All recruiting efforts for the craft labour workforce prioritise Western New York.
Hecate and Greenbacker signed Host Community Benefit Agreements with both Elba and Oakfield, committing to invest in local development initiatives and creating job opportunities for residents, ensuring that both towns directly benefit from the project’s long-term economic impact
Harrison Luna, project developer for Cider Solar Farm at Hecate Energy, said: “As New York’s largest solar energy project, Cider Solar Farm will be instrumental in delivering reliable, emissions-free power to meet the state’s rising electricity demand.
“We are proud to work alongside Greenbacker in bringing this landmark project to life and contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable energy infrastructure for New York.”
Initially receiving siting approval by ORES in 2022, Cider Solar Farm recently completed required pre-construction filings and received notice to proceed from ORES, paving the way for construction to commence.
The project is expected to generate 920,000MWh of homegrown electricity per year-enough to power over 120,000 New York households.
According to US Census data, this output could power all households in Genesee County (26,013 homes), as well as those in neighbouring counties including Livingston, Orleans, Wyoming, and Allegany.
This project also marks the third clean energy collaboration between Greenbacker and Hecate. Over the past several years, Greenbacker has acquired more than 70MWac of utility-scale solar in New York from the developer.
Charles Wheeler, chief executive of Greenbacker, said: “Greenbacker is thrilled to partner once again with Hecate to bring this landmark solar farm to life – a true milestone in advancing New York’s clean energy future.
“This achievement highlights how collaboration is accelerating the energy transition with projects that will deliver sustainable power for years to come.”