The City of Glens Falls is teaming up with two energy and power providers to bring local, renewable energy to the community.
The small city of Glens Falls is making some big changes when it comes to its energy source.
The city is an anchor customer in the community hydro project — meaning all power being used by city hall comes from the Warrensburg Dam. Using hydropower, the dam powers municipality utilities.
It works thanks to a company called Boralex.
Renewable energy like wind, solar, hydroelectric, and thermal gets fed into the grid, namely National Grid, before being distributed by providers to customers. Partnering with Boralex is Northern Power and Light to provide electricity directly to customers during peak power months — spring for hydro and summer for solar.
Emmett Smith, co-founder of Northern Power and Light, says the program works through community distributed generation.
“Which was created by New York state to help small scaled renewable power producers connect directly with energy users in a way that is economically beneficial for both,” Smith said. “It’s an authentic way to choose clean power, keep your dollars local, and not raise your costs. You know, we’re kind of, like, cutting out the middle man.”
The city’s Economic Development Director, Jeffrey Flagg, says the subscription program comes at no upfront cost and does not increase monthly costs.
“We’re sourcing local hydro power credits from a facility here in the county that produces local jobs using local resources,” Flagg said.
Northern Power and Light works with National Grid to pull power from grids and sell it to customers already using the public utility at wholesale cost rather than retail. Customers don’t have to switch power sources but if use exceeds hydro availability through Boralex, the difference is paid to National Grid.
But what about excess power?
Boralex’s Hydro Director of Operations Erik Bergman says engineers are working on a solution for power reserves.
“There are utility scale storage projects in the works. Boralex has some in the works, but they're early in development,” Bergman said. “So eventually, yes. For intermittent resources like hydro or solar or wind, that is that will come online in the years to come. Currently it's getting rolling. But most small sites at this moment in time do not have storage capacity. It just goes to the grid and it gets used or not.”
Bergman says hydroelectric turbines run by Boralex operate like a household blender, but the opposite.
“Here the liquid is already in motion. The river is in motion its dropping from one elevation to another. When it does that it spins the turbine blades through the conversion of energy. That spinning turbine blade is connected to the generator; same as the motor on the blender. But now you’re turning the generator that creates electricity. That electricity is then pushed back out of the cables through a transformer back onto the grid. So, we’re using the energy that’s already in the river, converting it to electricity, and putting it back.”
According to the state’s Energy Research and Development Authority, the goal is to become a zero emissions grid by 2040 by using a mix of hydro, solar, and wind resources. But state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli warns New York is at risk of falling short of that goal. As of August 2022, about 29 percent of the electricity generated in the state came from renewable resources— with hydroelectric generation making up 75 percent of the renewable generation.
Flagg says the city is taking small steps to bet on green energy with resiliency of the infrastructure at the forefront of investments. The public-private partnership that supplies the city with energy has resulted in $2,000 in savings so far, which is good news for taxpayers.
“The city as the anchor tenant, because it benefits the entire community, indirectly, is given a special discounted rate,” Flagg said. “So, we’re actually getting, I think it’s 5 percent, a 5 percent discount for the municipal and in return for that residents and business don’t see any increase by going green.”
In collaboration with the city, low-income families receive a 25 percent discount to ensure access to greener energy is equitable.
Jim Siplon of Warren County’s Economic Development Corporation says educating the public on the benefits of hydropower is essential to growth.
“Once you’re educated, you’ll quickly understand what I understand, which is we’ve gotta get everyone possible connected to these assets and to these programs. To demonstrate their value, to reinforce our commitment to each other and to make a positive contribution with every dollar we spend every day on energy to a brighter future not only for us but for others.”
Glens Falls currently has two subscriptions in addition to city needs, the Charles R. Wood Theater and Pure N Simple Foods.
