Sustainable Westchester will vet solar firms to secure qualified Installer Partners. Standards include a demonstration of high quality design, materials and workmanship as defined both by a well-established NYSERDA Solar Quality Assurance program and Sustainable Westchester’s additional criteria. 

• In order to ensure Installer Partners have adequate capacity, candidate firms must have completed a minimum of at least 40 residential solar projects between January 2023 and December 2024 in Westchester County.

• In order to demonstrate familiarity with permitting and approval requirements of an ample number of local jurisdictions, candidate firms must have completed installations in at least 20 different municipal jurisdictions during that same time period.

• In order to maximize local residential ownership of the solar installations under this program, candidate firms need to demonstrate that 90% or more of their projects in 2023 and 2024 were financed by homeowners. Solar leases or power purchase agreements may not have comprised more than 10% of their funding mechanisms.

• In order to foster local workforce development, candidate firms for this initial campaign are limited to those with headquarters in the Hudson Valley region.*

• Finally, candidate firms need to demonstrate exce

Community Solar

If you cannot install your own solar panels, community solar is the next best thing, enabling access to the benefits of solar without any of the hassle. You get an estimated 10% credit on your electricity bill over the course of the year. This is calculated by ConEdison against the total dollar amount of your bill each month and is adjusted through the year to balance the productivity of your designated panels with your consumption. There are no fees. Participation contributes renewable energy to the grid and reduces carbon emissions.  When subscriptions are available, signing up is quick and easy and no payment details are required. You can find state guidance on community solar here. 

Because Westchester electricity is expensive, and real estate opportunities for large solar arrays are few, demand is high. Often, the only available subscriptions are for low to moderate income households. But don't be discouraged if you are waitlisted for enrollment. Slots do eventually open up.