NYSERDA supports 2.76 MW solar project completed at CNY Anheuser-Busch brewery

Van Buren, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo celebrated the completion of a 2.76 megawatt solar project in CNY: Anheuser-Busch’s Baldwinsville brewery.

The brewery is the sole off-taker of this commercial solar project, which complements “Central New York Rising,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development, and supports governor Cuomo’s Green New Deal which calls for 70% of the state’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030 and 6,000 megawatts of solar by 2025.

“New York is making nation-leading investments in renewable energy resources that support our rapidly growing clean energy economy and provide businesses and residents with cleaner, more cost-effective energy,” governor Cuomo said. “This project exemplifies our efforts to support solar projects across the state that deliver meaningful environmental benefits, while spurring economic growth that will serve New Yorkers for generations to come.”

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), through the NY-Sun program, provided $1.1 million in support for the array which is comprised of over 8,300 solar panels–making it Anheuser-Busch’s largest off-site installation to date in the U.S. Located six miles from the company’s Baldwinsville brewery, the 2.76 megawatt array will produce over three million kilowatt-hours annually, the equivalent of providing enough to brew three million cases of beverages annually.

The solar array is owned and operated by AES Distributed Energy, Inc. and was developed to support Anheuser-Busch’s goal to purchase 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025. Anheuser-Busch already secures 50% of its purchased electricity from wind power, which is more than the amount of electricity required to brew Budweiser beer in the U.S. each year.

“This significant solar project by Anheuser-Busch and AES Distributed Energy will use renewable energy sources and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said lieutenant governor Kathy Hochul. “The solar facility helps to protect the environment, creating job opportunities and growing the economy of Central New York.”

Alicia Barton, president and CEO, NYSERDA said, “Governor Cuomo has made private-public partnerships the hallmark of the state’s holistic approach to planning for the future and a critical part of New York becoming one of the fastest growing solar markets in the nation. We are excited to partner with AES Distributed Energy and Anheuser-Busch on their environmental stewardship through this project and their commitment to reducing emissions through renewable energy resources like solar.”

Woody Rubin, president of AES Distributed Energy, said, “We applaud the state of New York for their leadership role in transitioning to renewables and Anheuser-Busch for their commitment to purchasing 100% renewable electricity. We are proud to support New York and Anheuser-Busch make progress towards meeting their objectives and accelerating a greener energy future with the Baldwinsville project.”

Ingrid De Ryck, VP procurement and sustainability at Anheuser-Busch, said, “Our commitment to our communities and our environment go hand in hand. With this solar project, we are proud to continue investing in renewable energy in a community that our employees call home, bringing our sustainability goals to life right in our own backyard.”

NY-Sun is governor Cuomo’s $1 billion initiative to advance the scale-up of solar and move the state closer to having a sustainable, self-sufficient solar industry. Since 2011, solar in New York has increased more than 1,500 percent and leveraged nearly $3.5 billion in private investments. These investments have supported nearly 12,000 people engaged in solar jobs across state.