HAUPPAUGE - Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy announced legislative approval of an agreement with a California-based wind and solar project developer for the installation of solar carports in as many as seven major county parking lots.

The agreement between Suffolk and enXco – one of the two firms selected by the Long Island Power Authority through a Request for Proposals to provide up to 50 megawatts of solar power to the grid – will be followed up by individual long-term lease agreements at the parking sites: the H. Lee Dennison Building and the North County Complex in Hauppauge, the Cohalan Court Complex in Central Islip and the Riverhead County Center, as well as county-owned parking lots at the Long Island Railroad stations in Ronkonkoma, Deer Park and Brentwood. 

If all seven locations are utilized, the project would generate as much as 17 megawatts of solar power for LIPA -- enough to power 1,850 homes -- and reduce carbon emissions by more than 13 metric tons annually.

 “Solar energy is clean, renewable and safe, and our large parking areas – already developed and paved -- provide ideal locations for solar panels,” said Levy. The county executive said the lease revenue to the county over the next 20 years could total approximately $8.5 million.

The installations will not reduce the number of available parking spots at any of the locations, and the design allows for snow plowing and regular maintenance. Construction could begin as early as April, and take approximately a year to complete all seven installations.