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Ulster County presses solar projects ahead of investment‑tax‑credit deadlines
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Summary
DPW told the committee that three county rooftop solar projects (about 650 kW) and a larger Paradis Lane ground‑mount project face near‑term deadlines to qualify for a 30% investment tax credit; the county is pursuing site work or mobilization payments to vest projects under the credit.
Ulster County Department of Public Works staff told the Public Works and Capital Projects Committee on Dec. 8 that the county has three rooftop solar projects nearly ready and is pushing to meet investment‑tax‑credit deadlines so projects can be vested under a 30% credit.
The county identified rooftop projects at Trudy Resnick Farber in Ellenville, the DPW quarry/Mechanics Building and Development Court (the portion over social services and aging). DPW staff said those three behind‑the‑meter projects total roughly 650 kilowatts of rooftop solar.
Deputy Executive Amanda Laval said the investment tax credit is time‑sensitive. "So those investment tax credits are 30% of the project value," she said, adding that to be vested a project must either have site work in progress by the first week in July or have mobilization/payments toward equipment by that time. She described the department’s use of the state's mini‑bid process to speed procurement for three rooftop projects.
The committee also discussed a larger, more complex ground‑mounted project at Paradis Lane that DPW estimates at about $1.4 million in total cost. Laval said that, with incentives and tax credits, the net county expense could be in the neighborhood of $700,000. DPW said Paradis Lane is a brownfield site with substation access that makes it attractive for renewables and storage but requires a separate procurement approach because of site complexity.
DPW noted the county is evaluating battery energy‑storage technologies beyond lithium‑ion and is vetting safety and fire‑service considerations with emergency management. The department said it expects to return to the committee in February with more detail on the Paradis Lane project and to advance the rooftop projects that are 'on the cusp' of starting work.
What’s next: County staff said they will continue procurement efforts and pursue mobilization or site work that satisfies the vesting requirements for the tax credit; more detailed project proposals are expected in February.
