FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2020
Contact: Mark Geise
(716) 489-6075
RIPLEY, N.Y.: — ConnectGen has submitted a PILOT application to the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency (CCIDA) for their South Ripley Solar Project, a 270 megawatt (MW) large scale-solar project located in South Ripley, wholly within the town boundaries. The Project will include a 20 MW of battery energy storage component.
ConnectGen has worked since late 2018 to introduce the Project to the Ripley community, perform environmental analyses, and advance through the early stages of the New York state permitting process, and plans to commence construction of the Project by the second or third quarter of 2022 with commercial operations starting by the end of 2023. The Project is expected to contribute over 18 million dollars in increased revenue to local taxing jurisdictions, including the Town of Ripley, Chautauqua County, the Sherman Central School District, and the Ripley Central School District through its 30-year life. In addition to payments to local taxing jurisdictions, local landowners are expected to receive up to $40 million dollars in long-term revenue in the form of solar leases, easement agreements, and good neighbor agreements.
ConnectGen estimates that construction of the Project will create up to 600 construction jobs at the peak of the construction period, and 220 annualized full-time equivalent (FTE) construction jobs. Once completed, they anticipate two to four FTE jobs for ongoing monitoring and maintenance. According to ConnectGen, this Project will contribute a meaningful amount of renewable energy to assist the State of New York in achieving its identified clean energy supply goal of 70% of electricity generated by 2030, supplying enough electricity to power approximately 60,000 average homes in New York annually.
ConnectGen is currently undergoing the comprehensive New York State permitting process to ensure that any potential environmental impacts from the Project are fully reviewed and evaluated. The requirements under the state process typically include developing measures to address visual impacts, wildlife, natural resources, land restoration, decommissioning, and a host of other environmental considerations. The Project is not expected to impact local farmlands currently producing dairy or cultivating vineyards.
“This is a project that ConnectGen and the community have been working on for a couple of years,” said Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development/Chief Executive Officer of the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency. “I’m glad that the CCIDA can assist them in hopefully making it a reality.”
ConnectGen was founded in 2018, in partnership with Quantum Energy Partners and 547 Energy, as an independent renewable energy company focused on the development of high quality wind, solar, and energy storage projects across North America. Based in Houston, Texas, ConnectGen’s experienced development team has successfully developed, built, and operated thousands of megawatts of renewable energy projects across the country.
Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel said, “This project is a win-win for Chautauqua County and the State of New York. We are thrilled that we have the land and infrastructure to attract this clean energy project to our area.”
ConnectGen Chief Executive Officer, Caton Fenz, said “We are pleased that the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency recognizes the great value that the South Ripley Solar Project will bring to the community, and we are excited to work with them on the PILOT agreement which will bring significant positive benefits through long-term tax revenue to Chautauqua County, the Town of Ripley, and the Sherman and Ripley School Districts.”
ConnectGen is a subsidiary of 547 Energy, Quantum Energy Partners’ clean energy platform company.
About the CCIDA – The CCIDA is an economic development organization authorized and empowered by the State of New York to make Chautauqua County a better place to work, live, and visit. It facilitates development by attracting new businesses, while promoting the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Assistance in the form of incentives – tax abatements, low interest loans, and bond financing – enhances the opportunities for job creation and retention by our businesses. For addition information about the CCIDA, please visit our website at www.ccida.com.
Any comments or questions regarding this announcement should be addressed to Deputy County Executive for Economic Development/CCIDA Chief Executive Officer, Mark Geise, at geisem@co.chautauqua.ny.us.
About ConnectGen – Founded in 2018, ConnectGen’s strategy is to apply its proven ability to develop, construct and operate clean energy assets to create a multi-technology portfolio of generation and storage projects across North America. The company currently has 139 MW of solar projects in operations and is developing over 3,500 MW of wind, solar and energy storage projects across seven U.S. states. For more information, please visit www.connectgenllc.com
About Quantum Energy Partners / 547 Energy – Founded in 1998, Quantum Energy Partners is a leading provider of private equity capital to the global energy industry, having managed together with its affiliates more than $17 billion in equity commitments since inception. 547 Energy is the clean energy platform of Quantum Energy Partners. For more information on Quantum, please visit www.quantumep.com or contact Michael Dalton at (713) 452-2110. For more information on 547 Energy please email info@547energy.com.
###
