
Distributed Sun LLC (DSUN), Building Energy Development US LLC and Cornell University filed a Dec. 22 request with the New York State Public Service Commission to extend a monetary crediting period to 30 years for five solar photovoltaic projects.
The projects are:
- a 2-MW (ac nameplate) project located on a parcel of Cornell property on Snyder Road in Lansing, New York, called the Snyder Road Project. This project entered commercial operation in September 2014.
- a 2 MW (ac nameplate) project located on a parcel of Cornell property at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York. The Geneva Project is under construction and is expected to enter commercial operation by the end of 2015.
- a 2 MW (ac nameplate) project located on a parcel of Cornell-managed property at the Cornel University Ruminant Center in Harford, New York. This is called the Harford Project. The Harford Project, the Musgrave East Project, and the Musgrave West Project were originally included as part of one larger, 6 MW (ac) project known as the Ellis Tract Project. Development of the Ellis Tract Project began in early 2014. Given long delays encountered with the interconnection process, Cornell and DSUN recently requested an extension from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for the required in-service date for all three projects.
- two separate 2-MW (ac nameplate) projects located adjacent to one another on a parcel of Cornell property known as the Musgrave Research Farm in Ledyard, New York, called the Musgrave East Project and the Musgrave West Project.
For each project, Cornell has entered into a separate solar energy power purchase agreement (PPA) with a special purpose entity (SPE) formed by DSUN and Building Energy pursuant to which the SPE agrees to finance, construct, and own the related project and Cornell agrees to purchase all of the electricity generated thereby at a predetermined rate for 30 years.