RPI Floating Solar Explorer App Helps City of Cohoes Win One-of-a-kind Grant

The City of Cohoes, N.Y. announced on May 3, 2022 that National Grid committing $750,000 in economic development funding to advance their model Municipal Floating Solar Demonstration project. The National Grid grant builds on the foundational $3 million federal investment in this first-of-its-kind in the country floating solar project, secured by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Congressman Paul Tonko in March.

The Rensselaer Institute for Data Exploration and Applications (The Rensselaer IDEA) is pleased to have played a role in this effort by collaborating with Cohoes in the development of the Floating Solar Explorer app. The Floating Solar Explorer visualizes the energy-generation opportunities and potential economic impact of adopting floating solar on human-made water reservoirs. FSE’s U.S. map charts the 24,419 NREL-identified water reservoirs potentially 'suitable' for floating solar, by ownership and potential electricity generation (per MWh). FSE's New York State map charts the NREL-identified water reservoirs potentially "suitable" for floating solar in the state, by ownership and potential electricity generation (per MWh). During 2022 the reach of FSE will be expanded to the entire United States. 

“The Cohoes Floating Solar project provides an unprecedented opportunity to localize power generation and drive down costs, all while shoring up our nation’s clean energy goals,” Tonko said. “I was proud to secure federal funding for this initiative through our FY2022 Community Project Funding process, and I’m thrilled to see these critical resources now being delivered. National Grid's announcement today builds powerfully on that investment, and I commend them for their strong support of this project that will serve as a model for communities across the nation.”