Staten Island Gets Big Rooftop Solar Farm

A wastewater treatment plant on the north shore of Staten Island is set to become one of the city's biggest solar energy farms.

The rooftop of the Port Richmond waste water facility is the size of three and a half football fields. Last fall, the roof was painted white, in order to reflect more sunlight. Now, more than five thousand solar modules are being installed by a private solar energy company.

The city has agreed to buy the electricity at a slightly higher price than market rate. The panels will produce 1.6 million kilowatt hours, meeting ten percent of the water treatment plant's energy needs.