CLARYVILLE — As a hub for environmental education, Frost Valley YMCA is honored with the incredible responsibility of setting the standard for environmental stewardship. In that light, Frost Valley gathered community members and stakeholders for the official unveiling of its solar array on Saturday, May 18.
Attendees were invited to learn about Frost Valley’s new solar array and the importance of sustainability in the Catskills. Speakers included Jim Vaughan, President of Frost Valley’s Board of Trustees; Kathy Nolan, Ulster County Legislator for District 22; Leslie Berliant, Chief of Staff for Senator Jen Metzger; and Jerry Huncosky, Frost Valley CEO.
Installed by Solar Liberty, Frost Valley’s solar array consists of 672 bifacial solar panels. Providing 280,000 kWh of energy, which equates to the consumption used in 50 residential homes, Frost Valley expects to generate up to 35% of its electrical use from these special bifacial solar panels, which capture direct energy from the top of the panel as well as indirect solar energy reflected off the ground into the back of the panel.
“As an environmental education facility, as well as an outdoor recreational facility, we believe it is our responsibility to be model stewards of our natural resources,” says Jerry Huncosky, Frost Valley CEO. “Today marks an important day in Frost Valley’s history! With the completion of our 672-panel solar array, Frost Valley moves another large step closer to achieving its five-year strategic goal of reducing its overall carbon footprint by 25%. The array is expected to generate 280,000 kWh of energy, which equates to the consumption used in 50 residential homes. The nearly $40,000 Frost Valley expects to save annually on its electric bill through the use of the panels will be reinvested into future energy efficiency initiatives throughout our 5,500-acre camp.”
As a part of its larger sustainability initiative, Frost Valley recently added four hybrid vehicles to its fleet of vehicles and has two electric car-charging stations onsite available for guests. Frost Valley has been composting all of its food waste onsite since 1990. Over 400 recycling bins were recently added, along with 100 educational signs promoting recycling throughout the camp at both its main and East Valley sites. To learn more about Frost Valley’s sustainability practices, visit https://frostvalley.org/sustainability .
Frost Valley YMCA Frost Valley YMCA is a values-driven organization with a mission to foster youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility through outdoor educational and recreational programs for all.
