New York City to Use Solar Energy to Power Internet

New York City’s new housing plan will use solar to cut energy spending and then redirect the money to high-speed internet for low-income residents. The project will tackle two major infrastructure challenges the Biden administration has been prioritizing, namely, utilizing increasingly cheap renewable energy sources and the increasing necessity of fast internet for people working from home.

Funds from the New York Green Bank and New York State Housing Finance Agency, the Workforce Housing Group will be used to purchase and install solar panels for two-dozen apartment buildings, Axios reported. The cost of the panels and installation is expected to be offset by the savings on energy and utilities. Further savings from using solar panels will then be spent on providing internet access for housing residents who could otherwise not afford it.

Brandon Gibson, cofounder of Flume Internet, the New York company that will be providing the wifi access, told Axios he hoped the project will be the first of many partnerships. “[We’re] really excited to set this as a precedent, and we’ll use it moving forward while working with other developers and other landlords in and around the country.”

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smarcus@hamodia.com