Nes Solar

Solar One, the City’s first solar-powered “Green Energy, Arts, and Education Center,” inspires New Yorkers to become environmentally responsible city dwellers. We do this through a variety of unique programs.

Since its inception in 2004, the Solar One education program has served more than 10,000 students, at more than 42 schools and in 14 different afterschool and summer camp programs.

The Solar One outreach programs are designed to engage New York City residents with green energy options and strategies that they can put into practice right now in their everyday lives.

The TruLight Project provides NYC high school students with everything they need to market and distribute Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) in their communities, raising awareness and lowering energy demands across the city. In partnership with the Manhattan Comprehensive Night & Day School, the 2006 TruLight class included 20 students who sold 2,000 light bulbs, saving 160,600 kWh of electricity.

Citysol, our annual clean energy-powered music, art and community festival attracted 1,500 visitors over three days this past summer, and featured some of NYC’s best emerging bands and DJs, interactive art exhibits, games and plenty of green energy information. Citysol has hosted over 40 musical acts and 70 green product vendors.
The Green Renter

Our lecture series offers options and techniques for reducing one’s individual energy impact in a way that is applicable to people who rent rather than own their apartment; a lifestyle common to New York City. From environmental investing to understanding recycling, the Green Renter has covered more than 30 topics, and been attended by more than 1,000 people.

Solar One’s Green Arts programming creates a new approach to learning about clean energy and conservation. The Green Energy Arts Festival is an annual summer long event that includes dance performances from Chinese Theatre Works, and Sun To Stars, a two week long film series and much more. The Green Arts program has included over 50 events, 150 performers and 3,500 attendees.

Solar One is located in Stuyvesant Cove Park, the city’s only all-native plant park. Situated above a former brownfield site, the park has been designated a Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation for providing a quality habitat by virtue of its standards of conscientious planning, landscaping and sustainable gardening. More than 150 volunteers and 65 student interns have spent upwards of 3,500 hours working in the park, planting , watering and weeding over 3,500 new plants.

SOLAR 2
In 2008, we hope to break ground on SOLAR 2, an 8,000 square foot 100% green-powered education and arts center that is slated to be New York’s first Platinum LEED educational facility. SOLAR 2 was designed by the reknowned green architecture firm Kiss & Cathcart, and engineered by the equally prestigious firm of Ove Arup.