By the Bronxville Green Committee

Oct. 28, 2026: On a gorgeous Wednesday morning, October 21st, Village of Bronxville Trustees, Village staff, Bronxville Green Committee members and residents gathered behind Village Hall to celebrate the completion of a major solar installation on the roof of the Department of Public Works building.  Speaking to the group gathered in front of the DPW building, Mayor Mary Marvin and Bronxville Green Committee chair Ellen Edwards recognized this major accomplishment and thanked the many individuals whose persistence saw the project through, from its early stages several years ago to completion this past summer.

The 312 solar panels, covering more than 7,000 square feet of rooftop, are capable of producing 169,000 kilowatt hours each year. The system provides all the electrical needs of the DPW building, making it a net zero facility.  That means it is an all-electric building that uses no fuel oil or natural gas, and all the electricity it uses is generated by the solar panels with absolutely no harmful emissions.   In addition, the solar panels will supply a significant portion of the electrical needs of Village Hall.

The installation will help Bronxville meet its goal of reducing emissions from municipal operations 40% by 2030, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan for Municipal Operations adopted by the Village Trustees three years ago.  More immediately, this installation will begin saving the Village money in significantly lower energy costs.

The DPW building was designed and completed in 2020 with the intention of making it as energy efficient as possible. Solar panels were part of the original plan, but installing them was prohibitively expensive.

That changed in 2024 when the work of the Bronxville Green Committee made the Village eligible for $200,000 in grant money from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).  The Village used some of that money to improve the energy efficiency of Village Hall and the Bronxville Library.  The largest portion helped to finance the solar installation. 

When considering any “green” initiative, the Village studies the costs versus the benefits.  Programs that the Village has adopted in recent years—such as converting to LED streetlights, offering recycling programs, installing energy saving systems in municipal buildings, and installing EV charging stations—have resulted in significant energy and cost savings as well as cleaner air and water.  These investments benefit everyone! 

Many thanks to the Bronxville Trustees and Green Committee volunteers for their hard work and support. We can all celebrate this major step forward in Bronxville’s journey toward efficiency, resilience, and a cleaner environment!

Feeling inspired?! Learn about the many benefits and the how-tos of installing solar on your home here. 

Not ready to install? Join a Community Solar project for discounts on your monthly electrical bill with zero changes to your home or services – it’s takes 15 minutes! Learn more here.

The Bronxville Green Committee is a volunteer organization that is part of the Village of Bronxville. We work to propose and implement environmentally sustainable programs in our community. Visit our website and follow us on Instagram @bxvgreencommittee to learn more.