“Less than three years after leaving the mothership, General Electric spinoff DSD Renewables has nearly tripled its workforce as it adds solar electricity to the power grid and to its customers’ facilities.
DSD’s headquarters at Mohawk Harbor hosts a small percentage of its nearly 170 employees — many others work remotely or at satellite offices.
DSD uses sunlight to generate electricity on clients’ sites, then charges those clients less for that electricity than their local utility would. These solutions often include a storage component, a bank of batteries to keep the power flowing when the sun isn’t shining brightly or at all.”
read the entire article
Cropley, John. Schenectady Daily Gazette 5 march 2022.
“Schenectady County Solar Energy Consortium has achieved its goal: The electrical needs of the town, city and county governments are met entirely with local solar power.”
Cropley, John. Schenectady Daily Gazette 5 March 2022.
https://dailygazette.com/2022/03/05/schenectady-based-dsd-on-sharp-growth-path-as-green-energy-expands/
HISTORY OF GE SOLAR AND TOWN OF DUANESBURG
August 21, 2018 Zoning Board Agenda
GE County Solar Project Review
https://www.duanesburg.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4351/f/agendas/september_zoning_2018_agenda.pdf
August 21, 2018 Zoning Board Minutes
No mention of GE County Solar Project Review
https://www.duanesburg.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4351/f/minutes/august_2018_final_zba.pdf
September 13, 2018 Town Board Meeting
“Attorney Bakner also reported that the solar consortium projects are moving forward. GE is not pursuing 2 of the sites (the corner of 395 & 20 and 395 and the reservoir) due to the concerns that those sites would be an eyesore and would be too visible and residents would not approve. GE will be bringing the project designs to the Planning Board on September 20th so the Planning Board can give their recommendations to the Town Board. At this meeting the Town Board is just setting a public hearing in front of the town board to give the public an opportunity to come and discuss the proposals and get public input.”
https://www.duanesburg.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4351/f/minutes/september_13_2018_town_board_minutes.pdf
September 18, 2018 Zoning Bord Minutes
GE County Solar Project Review:
1. SBL# 55.00-4-9 384 Park Rd (Closed Landfill)
2. SBL# 66.00-2-26.2 1378 Cole Rd (Water Treatment Plant)
3. SBL# 66.00-2-1 7745 Western Tpke (Village property)
4. SBL# 43.00-2-13 N. Knight Rd (Village Property)
5. SBL# 66.53-1-2 1376 Cole Rd (Access Rd Water Treatment Plant)
The Board reviewed the maps and Code Enforcement determination and will have the Chairman submit a response to the Town Board by their next regularly scheduled meeting.
https://www.duanesburg.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4351/f/minutes/september_final_z.pdf
September 20, 2018 Planning Board Agenda
GE County Solar Review Project
https://www.duanesburg.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4351/f/agendas/september_planning_2018_agenda.pdf
September 20, 2019 Planning Board Minutes
“GE County Solar Project Review:
1. SBL# 55.00-4-9 384 Park Rd (Closed Landfill)
2. SBL# 66.00-2-26.2 1378 Cole Rd (Water Treatment Plant)
3. SBL# 66.00-2-1 7745 Western Tpke (Village property)
4. SBL# 43.00-2-13 N. Knight Rd (Village Property)
5. SBL# 66.53-1-2 1376 Cole Rd (Access Rd Water Treatment Plant)
Present were Supervisor Roger Tidball, Council Member John Ganther, Village Planning Board members George Grenier and Joshua O’Connor, as well as GE Project Manager Kimberly Cupicha who gave a presentation to the Board outling the County wide Solar project, panels will be placed throughout the Town and Village on Town and Village owned properties. The Board expressed concerns with amount of tree clearing as well as aesthetics of the systems. Land will be leased by GE Solar and provide a discounted rate to the Town. Josh O’Connor informed the Board that they are in full support of the project and that it will aid then in major water line projects in the future.”
https://www.duanesburg.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4351/f/minutes/september_2018_final_planning_board_minutes.pdf
November 20, 2018 Zoning Board Minutes
“Gage reported that the G.E.Municipal Project is on Hold”
https://www.duanesburg.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4351/f/minutes/november_final_z.pdf
November 20, 2018 Town Board Meeting
“GE Solar: Supervisor Tidball updated that at this point it does not look like the 2 projected projects in town will be a go (Old Landfill and the WWTP). The substations can only handle 10mW of power and they are already using 2mW. There are currently application in before ours that would use up the remainder of the allowable mW. In order to upgrade the substations to meet our need it would cost approximately 5-15 million dollars. We will however still benefit from the other projects even if one does not end up in our town, because we are part of the consortium. If the other projects that have applications in before ours don’t commit, then there is still hope.”
https://www.duanesburg.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4351/f/minutes/november_20_2018_town_board_minutes_0.pdf