The Long Island Solar Farm Project is on line!

The Department of Energy has "flipped the switch" on the Long Island Solar Farm Project(LISF) at the Brookhaven National Laboratory.  Composed of 164,312 solar photovoltaic panels, the 32-megawatt Solar Farm is the largest solar project in the Eastern United States and is one of the largest to ever be built on federal property.  The Solar Farm is expected to produce sufficient energy to power 4,500 Long Island homes.

In addition to providing Long Islanders with clean, renewable energy, the Long Island Solar Farm will give scientists insight on the challenges associated with deploying large-scale solar in the northeast.

The Long Island Solar Farm is a collaborative project between the Long Island Power Authority and BP Solar International, Inc.

For more information visit http://energy.gov/articles/national-lab-flips-switch-east-coasts-largest-solar-array.

Clarkson announces plan to establish a research facility for the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries

Clarkson University has announced plans to convert the University's Old Main building into a state of the art research facility for the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries. With $1 million in funding from IBM, the research facility will collect and analyze water quality data from a series of sensors in the Hudson, Mohawk and St. Lawrence Rivers. The facility will allow for real-time water quality data for the rivers and will facilitate more effective management of the critical resource.

The announcement comes only a month after Clarkson University and the Beacon Institute formed a strategic alliance to position New York State as a leader in research and education for water innovation.

For more information visit http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20111206/NEWS05/712069894.

Cornell University recognized for efforts taken in Energy Efficiency

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has awarded Cornell University the High Performance Building Plaque for the adaptive reuse and renovation of Riley Hall.  Riley Hall's east wing, once home to a vintage large equipment lab was recently adapted to a suite of wet labs for state-of-the-art cellulosic biomass biofuels research and development. With $111,865 in NYSERDA funding, Cornell University incorporated HVAC controls, heat recovery and light controls into the new labs.  The renovations are expected to save 536,973 kilowatt hours of electricity, approximately the same amount of energy used annually by 73 single-family homes.

Riley Hall's renovation were funded by NYSERDA's New Construction Program, which provides assistance to incorporate energy efficiency and sustainable building practices into the design, construction and operation of new/renovated buildings.  In addition, the program assists those pursuing LEED certification for energy efficiency.

For more information visit http://www.wbng.com/news/around-the-tiers/Cornell-University-Receives-High-Performance-Energy-Efficiency-Award-134244048.html.

Federally funded solar feasibility study to be conducted at TechCity

The former Kingston, New York headquarters of IBM, TechCity, has been selected by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy to participate in a federal study to determine the feasibility of large scale solar energy production at the site. The study is part of a national program that seeks to generate wind and solar energy at former industrial contamination sites.

In order to determine the feasibility of solar PV at TechCity, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory will install rooftop solar photovoltaic panels throughout the 256-acre complex. Ulster County's deputy director for economic development, March Gallagher believes the campus can house enough solar panels to generate more than 4 megawatts of electricity, roughly enough to power 4,000 homes.

TechCity is one of three New York State locations selected to participate in the study. The other locations are the former Bethlehem steel plant in Lackawanna and a large industrial wasteland in South Buffalo.

To learn more about the study visit http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111118/NEWS/111119739/-1/rss01.

GE exceeds the EPA's year-end production goal for PCB dredging

At the close of the second season of dredging the Hudson River for PCBs, General Electric Co. has exceeded it's year-end production goal set by the Environmental Protection Agency.  Reporting the removal of more than 363,000 cubic yards of sediment, General Electric has exceeded the Superfund project's year-end goal of 350,000 cubic yards.

After an unintentional kick up of PCBs during the first year of excavation, General Electric Co. has designed/executed an alternate method of dredging, re-suspension, which appears to have worked effectively.

For more information visit http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/GE-surpasses-Hudson-PCB-dredging-target-for-year-2275001.php.