In the year since Superstorm Sandy inundated Solar One and Stuyvesant Cove Park, a lot of work has been done and much has been learned. While Sandy may have been an unusual once-in-a-hundred-years storm, it’s difficult to say how soon or how often storms like that may hit the NYC Metropolitan area in the future, and as an environmental organization located right at the edge of the East River, Solar One has a strong incentive to make sure we and our community are ready for the next time. In the Park, we’re planting thousands of new plants, including more shrubs, grasses and hardier salt-tolerant plants. Some species were all but wiped out last year, while others have come back stronger than ever. Among the new natives are seaside goldenrod, blue mist flower, bitter panic grass, smooth and aromatic sumac, purple love grass and bush honeysuckle. Park staff and volunteers have been working hard throughout October to get them all in the ground before the first frost.
Andropogon virginicus and Echinacea purpurea
Eupatorium coelestinum and Solidago sempirivens
The Solar One building, which was completely submerged by a 14-foot wave, underwent many significant renovations, including new mold-free sliding doors, sheetrock and linoleum tile, as well as a brand new stage and back deck. Sandy, and the new flood plan, also necessitated changes to the plans for Solar 2, a new state-of-the-art 8,000 square foot educational facility, designed to replace Solar 1. The first floor has been raised 15’ to allow storm surges to pass underneath, and the new design follows Passive House guidelines, creating the most energy efficient building possible. Solar 2 will be New York City’s first fully resilient, LEED Platinum, energy positive, water reuse demonstration facility that will serve as a hub for Solar One’s web of programs as well as a renewably powered refuge center in the event of future disasters. You can learn more about the Solar 2 building here.
Solar One has also been active in trying to help other communities become more resilient and prepared for the next storm. After finishing the Solar Sandy Project, which brought mobile solar generators to 17 sites in neighborhoods badly damaged by the storm, our Energy Connections program expanded to include our first community solar initiative in central Brooklyn. This program helps residents organize together to install solar pv systems as a group and aggregate their collective purchasing power. Nationally, the community solar model has been very effective in helping to make 2012 the biggest year ever in the US for new solar installations. A decentralized generation movement puts less stress on the grid and creates more energy-independent communities when the grid fails – ultimately building the resiliency of communities to prosper amid the range of circumstances that they are likely to face as a consequence of climate change.
And speaking of the post-Sandy grid, our most recent Clean Energy Connections panel discussion focused on the state of the grid one year after Sandy. You can see the whole presentation online here.
While it’s disheartening to see that some communities are still struggling with a full recovery, we’re tremendously grateful to all the funders and volunteers who helped us get back on our feet. We would not have been able to do it without you!