Energy justice advocates and local representatives celebrated on July 20 the installation of New York City’s first community-led and cooperatively owned solar project, Sunset Park Solar, at the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park.
This significant project features a 725-kilowatt solar array on the roof of Building B at the terminal, poised to deliver clean and reliable electricity to around 200 families and businesses in Sunset Park.
The installation is expected to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut energy bills by approximately 20%. Revenue from this 45,000-square-foot initiative will be directed into a community wealth fund that will support further solar projects.
Sunset Park Solar is the result of a partnership between UPROSE, the oldest Latino community-based organization in Brooklyn focusing on environmental and social justice, and Working Power, an energy developer dedicated to building community-owned clean energy and economic resilience in historically underfunded neighborhoods.
In light of increasing severe climate disasters attributed to the climate emergency and President Donald Trump’s rollback of climate and energy policies, the initiative is being hailed as a “blueprint” for energy justice by climate justice advocates.
They express hope that Sunset Park Solar will set a precedent for similar community-driven energy projects across the United States, allowing frontline communities to reclaim control over their energy systems, foster economic resilience, and have a say in energy generation and distribution, all while creating green jobs.
Elizabeth Yeampierre, executive director of UPROSE, emphasized the urgency of the project amid the alarming trends in climate change and governmental policies.
She stated, “In the face of despair, in the face of all the things that our communities are dealing with right now, [Sunset Park Solar] is good news.
We want to remind people that when you invest in organizations like ours and in community vision, you are investing in what is possible.”
Yeampierre expressed that, unlike AI, green hydrogen, and geoengineering, true innovation lies in community-led climate initiatives.
“This community-owned solar initiative is innovation, this community-owned solar initiative is what we call a just transition— a move away from the extractive economy to a renewable economy while creating community wealth,” she remarked.
Ian Fischer, co-executive director of Working Power, referred to Sunset Park Solar as a “story of resilience.”
He noted, “The project demonstrates what is possible when we prioritize frontline communities’ leadership in building the clean energy future.
Now more than ever, we need community-led solutions supported by local government and robust state policies.”
Council Member Alexa Avilés (D-Brooklyn) expressed her hope that cities nationwide would replicate this “incredible model” of locally owned renewable solutions, describing the solar project as “by and for the people.”
“The importance of this project just can’t be overstated,” Avilés said.
“Quite literally, as we stand here today, the federal government is dismantling our very democracy and has taken a wrecking ball to the climate justice movement, to science, and to the many hard achievements we have won over the decades.
So this here, amidst this insanity that we are in, is the innovation, it is the greatness.”
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), which manages the Brooklyn Army Terminal, is leasing the rooftop space to UPROSE and Working Power for the solar project.
NYCEDC Senior Vice President of Asset Management, Jennifer Brown, remarked that Sunset Park Solar aligns with the city’s Green Economy Action Plan and the agency’s green economy initiatives.
“[Sunset Park Solar] is a major milestone in our ongoing efforts to bring modern-day innovation to the waterfront while creating good-paying jobs for Sunset Park and Brooklyn residents in the industries of today and of tomorrow,” Brown said.
Daniel Chu, senior energy planner with the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, discussed the ongoing affordability crisis in the city, underscoring the need for solutions like Sunset Park Solar.
Chu stated that the project not only provides a model for transitioning away from polluting fossil fuels throughout New York City and New York State but also offers a way to generate energy savings that can benefit households by putting money back into people’s homes.
image source from：brooklynpaper
