One early form of energy innovation, solar power, is a mainstay of the Power Authority's involvement in new technology. Photovoltaic systems, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, are non-polluting, highly reliable and silent. They consume no fuel and are nearly maintenance-free. And they produce the greatest amount of power on hot summer days, when it's most needed.

The Power Authority has installed 24 solar power units around the state, generating a total of 633 kilowatts, making NYPA's solar program one of the most extensive in the nation. The projects include one of the largest solar rooftop facilities—a large 300-kilowatt system at the MTA's Gun Hill bus depot in the Bronx.

One of the next big challenges in solar power is building broader acceptance of the technology to help reduce the cost, generate wider use and attract job-producing solar manufacturers to New York State. The Power Authority is turning to some of the state's best minds for help— today's technology-savvy school students.

These students can be natural ambassadors for solar energy—especially if they have solar power programs in their schools. NYPA in 2005 installed solar units at three schools across the state: P.S. 13 on Staten Island, Franklin Academy High School in Malone and Monroe-Woodbury High School in Central Valley. Several additional solar projects for schools are in the planning stages. Working for New York City, NYPA also installed solar units at the Bronx High School of Science and the New York Hall of Science. Special connections to the schools' computer networks allow students to monitor the solar panels' production of electricity. The schools benefit both from savings on their energy bills and from the hands-on ability to teach students about a power source that may help shape their futures.

The Power Authority is also looking at innovations in manufacturing techniques and applications that may help bring down costs. One of the most promising involves new thin-film panels, lighter and more malleable than the crystalline silicone panels previously used. The new panels can be built directly into building materials, such as roof membranes and glass, so installation costs are absorbed when the facility is built, and not as a costly retrofit. NYPA will test the thin-film panels in a rooftop solar installation at its White Plains office.