During Climate Week, Chancellor King Announces Clean Energy Partnership Between SUNY and New York Power Authority
September 25, 2026
Systemwide Initiative will Accelerate Solar and Energy Storage Across SUNY's State-Operated Campuses
Builds on Governor Hochul's Commitment to an Affordable and Reliable Energy System
Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced a new partnership between the State University of New York and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to accelerate solar and energy storage projects across SUNY's state-operated campuses. Through the new initiative, SUNY and NYPA will leverage SUNY's statewide scale to identify the strongest opportunities for clean energy projects, provide campuses with specialized technical support, and move viable projects more quickly from assessment to development.
"SUNY is proud to lead the way in helping build a more resilient and sustainable New York State and showcase how investments in clean energy can yield long-term savings," said SUNY Chancellor King. "We are pleased to partner with the New York Power Authority on this new effort, and we thank Governor Hochul for her continuous support of SUNY's clean energy initiatives."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "SUNY is proud to be a key partner in helping achieve New York State's clean energy transition. This new initiative with NYPA furthers SUNY's commitment to helping to build a more sustainable New York, and we are grateful to Governor Hochul for her steadfast leadership and support."
New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, "This new program will help provide a clearer understanding of where solar and storage projects can be deployed to best strengthen the energy independence of SUNY campuses. By leveraging the Power Authority's expertise, SUNY will streamline renewable development, establishing a direct path for campuses to move clean energy projects from concept to reality.”
The SUNY system represents approximately 40 percent of all New York State-owned buildings, consisting of 111 million square feet on nearly 54,000 acres of land. This scale creates a significant opportunity to use SUNY campuses to not only meet the system's energy and decarbonization goals, but also to demonstrate how large institutions can deploy clean energy efficiently and responsibly.
Under the new initiative, every SUNY state-operated campus will participate in a comprehensive inventory of potential solar and energy storage opportunities. NYPA will establish a dedicated team to support the SUNY portfolio and provide the technical, financial, procurement, and project-development expertise needed to evaluate potential projects. SUNY and NYPA will then prioritize the strongest opportunities across the system and establish a clear pathway for campuses to move viable projects toward implementation. Following the initial assessment, SUNY and NYPA expect to identify a first group of approximately five to seven campuses for more detailed project development.
The initiative will initially focus on solar and battery energy storage, with the potential to expand the portfolio approach to additional clean energy technologies in the future. The initiative will also identify obstacles and implement reforms that will make SUNY campuses even more attractive to renewable energy developers.
The initiative builds on more than three decades of collaboration between SUNY and NYPA. That partnership has already delivered 132 energy projects generating more than $31.6 million in annual utility savings across SUNY.
NYPA has also implemented 84 megawatts (MW) of customer-sited solar across New York State, including projects at SUNY campuses. Existing SUNY projects developed with NYPA include a 1.94-MW solar installation at the University at Albany, a 1.42 MW solar project with 498 kilowatts of battery storage at SUNY Fredonia, and a 750-kilowatt solar installation at the University at Buffalo. In total, SUNY has 56 renewable energy projects (53 solar, 3 wind) across 20 campuses, generating approximately 29,000 MWH hours in 2025, with several more projects underway.
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, said, "As Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, I am proud to see SUNY lead by example. Our campuses are more than places of learning. They are communities with the buildings and infrastructure to show what a clean energy future can look like. This partnership with the New York Power Authority turns that potential into real projects that will give students a front-row seat to the green economy they will help build."
Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, said, "As the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, I am thrilled that SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. pushed for a partnership between the university system and the New York Power Authority, which will help the state fulfill its clean energy goals. The SUNY system has 111 million square feet of land that we can utilize for solar and energy storage systems. The projects will help the Empire State lower its carbon footprint, save SUNY money on utilities and attract energy developers to its campuses. I hope that the battery energy storage systems on SUNY campuses are distanced from students, employees and staff to keep the environment safe."
State Assemblymember Didi Barrett said, "To reach our ambitious climate goals, it is critical that New York State lead by example and begin decarbonizing our state buildings – projects that will not only reduce our carbon footprint, but also lower electricity costs. I congratulate NYPA and SUNY for this exciting partnership which will expedite the buildout of solar and energy storage at our SUNY campuses and applaud Chancellor King for his leadership and vision on this initiative.”
The SUNY and NYPA clean energy initiative is part of SUNY's work to implement sustainability and climate solutions, and advance New York State's clean energy transition. Recently, SUNY announced the second cohort of Sustainability Faculty Fellows, who will work to strengthen curricular programs on climate and sustainability for students and faculty across the SUNY system. In August, Chancellor King highlighted SUNY's investments to advance geothermal energy, and in April, SUNY celebrated progress in achieving the goals of its inaugural Climate and Sustainability Action Plan, which was adopted at the beginning of 2025 and provides a framework for decarbonizing the SUNY System, and for creating the next generation of climate leaders through education, experiential learning, research, workforce development, and civic engagement. The plan includes 156 specific actions and strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, doubling climate research, strengthening climate education, increasing green workforce development, and expanding engagement and applied learning opportunities for students.
To further advance climate and sustainability, SUNY announced the recipients of the SUNY Sustainability Awards, which recognize undergraduate students throughout the SUNY System for the work they have done to advance sustainability on their campuses, in February. In October 2025, SUNY announced the launch of SUNY's "Outdoors for All" program to promote inclusive engagement with the environment, fellow students, and wellness. In September 2025, SUNY announced the inaugural class of SUNY's Sustainability Faculty Fellows to assist other faculty in incorporating climate and sustainability topics into existing courses and develop new applied learning opportunities. In March 2024, SUNY announced a uniform policy to phase out single-use plastics across the SUNY system including plastic bags, beverage bottles, food service products, utensils, plastic wrap, and packaging films.
About NYPA
NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit www.nypa.gov and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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