Sullivan County, New York

or exceeded a lot of the goals we established for ourselves. So we’re looking to update that plan in the next couple of years. I’m working closely with our Sullivan County planning department because they are actually spearheading a Climate Resiliency Planning process, right now, so we see those two plans going hand in hand.” The County’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2020 was surpassed in 2017, when they brought a two-MW solar project online. Currently, about 27 percent of electricity needs for county operations are sourced through a two-MW solar array in the town of Liberty. And they are in the process of working through the interconnect of a two-MW hydroelectric project. When all is said and done, about 70 percent of Sullivan County electricity will come from New York State renewable resources. Greenhouse gas emissions have been cut by nearly 60 percent just from those two projects – an amazing accomplishment. “We are operating these through power purchase agreements, so we do not actually own the assets, we simply purchase the credits,” says Brown. “The important thing is that they are New York State assets, so we are greening the NY State grid, as opposed to us purchasing renewable energy credits from another state. One of those assets is located here in Liberty, so that’s putting nice clean energy directly onto our local electric infrastructure and providing residents all around that system a much better quality of electricity. That will, hopefully, lead to some grid upgrades, which is really important right now.” In addition to the two power purchase agreement arrangements, about 26 MW of community solar are in various stages of development throughout the County that will provide cheaper electricity to residents and small businesses. And Sullivan County Community College also has a two-MW solar array that powers a significant portion of their electric needs. With the forecast that as many as 25 percent of vehicles on NY State roads will be either plug-in hybrid or battery electric by 2025, Sullivan County is preparing to accommodate those needs. “We have begun some initiatives to create a network of EV charging stations,” says Brown. “We had a pictured The rolling hills and gently curving roads of Sullivan County give way to the higher peaks and narrow gorges of the Catskill Mountains and New York State’s Catskill Park.