EDF Renewables and CleanCapital Unveil Warrior Solar Project: A 6.4 MW Initiative to Power Low-Income Communities in New York

CleanCapital, a clean energy company, has announced the successful addition of its 6.4 megawatt (MW) solar project, named Warrior, to its portfolio. This initiative represents a significant milestone for New York as the state celebrates the installation of 6 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy. Located at the closed Mohawk Valley Sanitary Landfill in Frankfort, New York, the Warrior project is expected to generate over 7.6 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually, sufficient to power more than 1,000 homes. Notably, the project will serve low-income subscribers within the Expanded Solar For All (E-SFA) community solar program.

Acquired in August 2023, the Warrior project is part of CleanCapital’s Adirondacks portfolio, which includes four projects sourced from EDF Renewables. The first two projects, Royal and Ruler, were completed in November 2022, followed by Winema in March 2023. Construction on the Warrior solar project commenced shortly after the acquisition’s building permit was issued, overcoming challenges such as limited labor availability and adverse weather conditions. Major construction was completed by June 2024.

The Warrior solar installation is unique as it is built on a closed landfill and a borrow pit, necessitating careful engineering and environmental considerations. For the capped landfill area, solar arrays are mounted on concrete blocks designed to distribute weight and contour to the site’s topography. The borrow pit section employs traditional driven piles to support the solar array, ensuring both environmental safety and structural integrity.

“Developing solar projects on environmentally sensitive land is not an easy feat, but our expertise and experience developing solar and storage projects enabled us to do so with Warrior,” stated Paul Curran, Chief Development Officer at CleanCapital. He emphasized the project’s role in expanding access to community solar for disadvantaged communities, achieving cost savings for low-income customers, and contributing to climate crisis mitigation.

The Warrior solar project exemplifies a successful collaboration among CleanCapital, EDF Renewables, WM, and the Herkimer County Industrial Development Agency (IDA). EDF Renewables played a key role in negotiating the lease with WM, while the Herkimer County IDA supported the project’s development. Together with Warrior, the projects within CleanCapital’s Adirondacks portfolio—Royal, Ruler, and Winema—total 26.475 MW of solar capacity.

“EDF Renewables is proud to partner with CleanCapital and actively contribute to expanding community solar in New York,” remarked Rod Viens, Vice President and General Manager of Distribution-Scale Power at EDF Renewables. He highlighted the company’s expertise in developing solar photovoltaic systems on previously unusable sites, such as landfills, brownfields, and wastewater treatment plants. “Warrior, along with Winema, Ruler, and Royal, reflects our ongoing commitment to environmentally conscious practices while fostering innovation and growth in renewable energy.”