Borrego Solar Systems has announced that it is about to commence construction of a 3.9 megawatts (MW) (DC) wholesale distributed generation (WDG) solar PV system in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. The project was originally developed by local developer STR Systems NY, LLC and will be financed by General Energy Solutions (GES), a global solar module manufacturer, system financier and system owner.

Located in Calverton, New York, on private industrial zoned land, the project will supply energy to PSEG-LI as a result of the utility's first Clean Solar Initiative Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) program.

Under the program, PSEG-LI agrees to purchase solar PV energy at a fixed rate of $.22/kWh over the 20-year term of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The project will generate enough clean renewable electricity to power 600 homes and will provide local jobs through construction and long term operation and maintenance.

"We're excited to be a part of this project-it's among the first Clean Solar Initiative FIT program projects in this size class to commence construction," said Brian von Moos, VP of utility project development at Borrego Solar.

"Having been involved with the project through the early phases of development, it is rewarding to have the development and financing phases behind us and to be moving full force into construction."

"This project is a great example of the benefits of involving a reputable development value add EPC firm such as Borrego Solar early in the development phase," said Kai Lin, GES project manager.

"As the project is passed from developer to project owner Borrego acts as the glue that provides consistency to the project backed with a bonded competitive EPC price."

The popularity of the first FIT program has paved the way for PSEG-LI's second larger program, the Clean Solar Initiative Feed-In Tariff II. With a 100 MW limit, the FIT II program collected offers early this year and projects are currently going through the interconnection study process before signing up to PPA's.

"Although it may take some time for the FIT II projects to make their way through the development cycle, we expect to see more announcements shortly of additional large scale FIT I projects breaking ground," said Aaron Halimi, director of utility project development at Borrego Solar.

The project is Borrego Solar and GES's second project together in New York-the first being a 2.5 MW project for Houghton College in Western New York, which will be completed in April 2015. This is Borrego Solar's second project under PSEG-LI's FIT I program under construction. The first is a 6.3 MW AC project with sPower (Sustainable Power Group).