The new Staten Island solar canopy at the Michael J. Petrides School expands the city's municipal charging network beyond 2,600 ports.

NEW YORK — Today, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) announced the completion of the city's first solar canopy electric vehicle charging installation on Staten Island at The Michael J. Petrides School. The project includes a solar canopy and six Level 2 electric vehicle charging ports that will support both the city fleet and NYCPS operations.

The installation marks the first completed project under Local Law 63 (2024), which directs DCAS to develop a pilot program for installing five solar canopies in city-controlled parking lots, one in each borough. The project is also the city's second operational solar charging canopy, building on 2022 solar canopy work that currently supports the Department of Correction operations on Rikers Island.

The new charging canopy will be utilized by the city’s green fleet, including electric school buses, helping ensure reliable charging capacity while reducing emissions from municipal fleet operations.

“By expanding electric vehicle charging stations, we are taking the next step to building a greener and more sustainable city,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “This project will make green infrastructure more accessible, cut the city’s carbon emissions and lower energy costs for New Yorkers in every borough.”

“This marks the very first solar canopy installation on Staten Island, and with our partners at NYC Public Schools we are taking yet another step forward to advancing the city’s long-term sustainability goals,” said DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei. “At DCAS we are committed to building the nation's leading municipal electric fleet — to do so, we must continue to invest in the infrastructure needed to power that transition.”

"As we build a more sustainable future for our city, we're proud to see the first solar canopy electric vehicle charging installations in Staten Island take shape at one of our schools," said Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels. "This project demonstrates how partnerships with agencies like DCAS are helping us create greener, more innovative learning environments while advancing New York City's clean energy goals."

“Solar power and electric vehicles are an important part of New York City’s clean energy future,” said New York City Chief Climate Officer Louise Yeung. “By pairing renewable energy with EV charging, this project helps reduce emissions while strengthening the city’s ability to power its growing electric fleet. Investments like this show how we can build our public infrastructure cleaner and more resilient, while delivering real benefits to New Yorkers.”

Located at 715 Ocean Terrace, the solar canopy is installed in the parking lot of The Michael J. Petrides School’s 43-acre campus. The school opened in 1995 on the former site of the College of Staten Island and serves students from Pre-K throughout Grade 12, providing a unique educational environment for Staten Island families.

The project is funded by DCAS, with over $250,000 in total investment toward the new sustainable fleet infrastructure. This includes approximately $227,000 for canopy and installation work and approximately $28,000 for the six charging units. The solar canopy is designed to support electric vehicle charging around the clock, with grid power serving as a backup source at night or when additional power is needed. In case of a power loss, the solar panels can continue generating power to charge vehicles during sunlight hours. The canopy also provides shaded, weather-protected parking for school vehicles.

“NYC’s fleet operations use a lot of electric power and biofuel every day to serve New Yorkers. With today’s announcement, we expand our capacity to produce that electric power ourselves using solar panels,” states DCAS Deputy Commissioner and NYC Chief Fleet Officer Keith Kerman.  “This new solar canopy will charge electric fleet units and school buses using sunlight while providing additional shade and storm resilience. We thank NYC Public Schools for their partnership on this project and look forward to announcing many more solar installations in the months ahead.”

The completed project expands New York City's municipal charging network to more than 2,600 charging ports — the largest municipal charging network in the state.

DCAS is a leader in fleet electrification and sustainable municipal operations in New York City. DCAS manages the largest electric vehicle fleet and charging network in New York State, with 5,970 electric vehicles and over 2,600 charging ports supporting city operations. DCAS remains committed to transforming the city’s fleet with more innovative technologies and effectively developing a greener, and safer New York City for all.

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Contact:
Amina Sarfraz
Communications Associate, DCAS
communications@dcas.nyc.gov
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Photo Credit: NYC DCAS