Uniondale, NY—December 5, 2001—Demonstrating its commitment to exploring renewable, alternative energy sources, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) today unveiled the second phase of its Solar Pioneer Program aimed at promoting the use of solar energy on Long Island for both business and residential customers.

LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel today announced that 30 new Solar Pioneers will be selected by lottery to receive free rooftop photovoltaic systems. These systems will generate between 500 and 600 watts each, which is enough power to supply nearly 10% of the average homes electric supply.

LIPA will provide a substantial increase in the amount of rebates. All new Solar Pioneer applications will be rebated at $6 per watt up to a maximum 10 kW system size (max rebate $60,000) for systems which are installed and operating by July 31, 2002. Systems installed and operating after August 1, 2002 will be refunded at $4 per watt. This represents a substantial increase from LIPA's current rebate offering of $3 per watt up to a 5 kW system maximum.

"Sunshine is plentiful, natural and clean," said LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel. "Clearly solar energy is a natural fit for Long Island and LIPA's customers. LIPA hopes the Solar Pioneers program will encourage more people to realize the importance of rethinking their energy use and making better use of alternative energy. Solar energy technology has come a long way in recent years. We want to promote its use here on Long Island to residents and businesses."

LIPA customers can enter the solar lottery by calling 1-800-263-6786 or by registering online at www.lipower.org. The deadline for all applications is January 4, 2002. Lottery winners will be selected in January.

In addition, in this second phase of the Solar Pioneers program, LIPA will partner with the Community Development Corporation of Long Island (CDC) to install 20 similar PV systems on lower income homes across Long Island. The CDC will select the recipients and LIPA will install the systems.

“LIPA’s Solar Pioneers program is absolutely terrific”, said Vice President and CEO of the CDC Maryanne Garvin. “Many of our clients spend a significant amount of their incomes on energy, this program will help them spend that income on other things such as food, clothing and medical care. The CDC is thrilled and proud to partner with LIPA on this very important program.”

The Solar Pioneer program is being funded through LIPA's Clean Energy Initiative (CEI). The CEI is a five-year, $170 million program, proposed by Governor George E. Pataki, that is designed, in part, to foster the development and application of clean energy technologies, such as fuel cells, solar, wind generation and geothermal systems. LIPA's CEI program also offers 11 energy conservation and load management programs that residential and commercial customers can take advantage of to reduce electric consumption and save money. The CEI also provides funds to assist lower income persons and families with energy conservation alternatives and assistance.

To help advance the use of PV technology, in March 2000, SUNY Farmingdale signed on as a partner with the Long Island Solar Roofs Initiative (LISRI), which is part of the National Million Solar Roofs Initiative through the U.S. Department of Energy. SUNY Farmingdale faculty in the School of Engineering Technologies have the extensive expertise needed to conduct applied research in the field of solar energy and, in response to industry need, to provide training in the maintenance and installation of photovoltaic units. In addition, the faculty will integrate this concept into the educational experience of students in the baccalaureate programs in electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering, and architectural engineering technologies.

SUNY Farmingdale President Dr. Jonathan C. Gibralter noted, "LIPA's support for SUNY Farmingdale's Solar Energy Center has been generous and essential to its success. Over 125 people have completed one of the Center's three-day workshops and more than 700 people have attended our free solar energy lectures. I'm pleased that the College is working with LIPA to educate the community about clean sources of energy."

Professor Harry Dathatri, director of the SUNY Farmingdale Solar Energy Center said, "As evidenced by the strong response to our workshops, Long Islanders understand that the sun is a powerful idea. It's clear that home grown electricity is part of the solution to peak summer demand for LIPA."

LIPA established its first group of Solar Pioneers in November 1999. Through its first lottery, 30 applicants were selected at random to become Long Island’s first Solar Pioneers. The winning homeowners had rooftop arrays of solar panels mounted on their homes by LIPA for the purpose of reducing their annual electric costs. Photovoltaic or PV systems harness the energy from the sun and actually produce up to 500 watts of electricity at peak output for each homeowner. At that time, LIPA also announced its long-term commitment to solar energy by joining the U.S. Department of Energy's "Million Solar Roofs" program, which seeks to have one million solar roofs in America by the year 2010. LIPA's goal will be to have at least 10,000 residential solar systems installed on Long Island during the next decade.

LIPA has also funded the use of solar energy systems at the New York Institute of Technology’s Old Brookville campus, the Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center at Jones Beach and is providing a $4 million, one-time rebate to the Fala DM Group in Farmingdale for installing a 1.5 megawatt PV system at its facilities. The Fala PV system will be the largest commercial application of solar power in the world.

For more information about the Solar Pioneer program or other electric conservation programs under LIPA’s CEI, visit LIPA’s Web site at www.lipower.org or call LIPA’s EnergyWise Infoline at 1-800-692-2626.

The Long Island Power Authority owns the electric retail business on Long Island. LIPA provides electric service to nearly 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties, and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens.