High above the waterfront, Sunset Park neighbors and organizers spent the weekend on the roof of the Brooklyn Army Terminal, celebrating the completion of a community‑owned solar array that they say could take some of the sting out of rising electric bills and pump fresh money into local climate resilience efforts.
The roughly 45,000‑square‑foot array sits atop Building B at the Brooklyn Army Terminal and is rated at about 725 kilowatts, according to NYCEDC. City officials say subscribing renters, homeowners and small businesses could see roughly 20 percent cuts to their Con Edison bills, adding up to about $1.24 million in lifetime bill savings for local households. The project is co‑owned by environmental justice group UPROSE and developer Working Power, according to officials.
Community Ownership And Local Control
“Sunset Park Solar is one of them,” UPROSE Executive Director Elizabeth Yeampierre said at a rooftop event, calling the project “a bold, community‑led vision” and stressing that it is meant to be steered by neighborhood residents. Local reporting from the ribbon‑cutting described organizers’ pitch that co‑ownership lets frontline communities decide who benefits and how revenues get reinvested. Brooklyn Reporter documented those remarks at the celebration.
How Residents Will See Savings
Under the subscription model, households sign up for a share of the rooftop output and receive bill credits that bring down charges on their Con Edison statements. The project website lists about 200 participant slots and estimates roughly $6,700 in lifetime net savings per participant, with about $1.34 million in total net savings for the community, according to Sunset Park Solar. Organizers say revenues from UPROSE’s co‑ownership stake will feed a resident‑governed resiliency fund for neighborhood‑chosen climate and resilience projects.
Years In The Making
The cooperative model traces back to a 2018 NYSenate notice, when NYCEDC selected UPROSE and partners to develop a rooftop community solar garden at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. The rollout reflects nearly eight years of planning, partnership building and neighborhood advocacy. Early announcements also pointed to Hurricane Sandy’s damage along the waterfront as a key spark for interest in local power solutions.
Next Steps
Organizers told local media that construction of the array is complete and that it is expected to begin generating power in the coming weeks, with enrollment currently open for eligible Sunset Park customers. As reported by PIX11, leaders marked the milestone at the rooftop event, and the project website lays out details on how to sign up and the expected timeline for subscribers to start seeing credits on their bills.
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