Surprise Lake Camp Unveils New Solar Energy System

Cold Spring's Surprise Lake Camp, one of New York's leading Jewish sleepaway camps, has harnessed the power of the sun with the installation of a 20 kilowatt (kW) solar energy system at its facility in Cold Spring. The system was installed by Mercury Solar Systems and was unveiled at a dedication ceremony on Monday, November 30.

The system's 98 panels are aligned on the gym facility at the camp and are expected to offset close to 40,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year, the equivalent of recycling 380,103 cans of soda, not burning 2,014 gallons of gasoline, and planting 2 acres of trees.

"Environmental stewardship is one of Surprise Lake Camp's institutional values and we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and our reliance on non-renewable resources to ensure that we deliver a healthier and more ecologically friendly environment for our children," said Jordan Dale, executive director at Surprise Lake Camp. "Our team has taken a major step with the implementation of this solar energy system and we look forward to many more greening initiatives to come."

Surprise Lake Camp was able to finance close to 70 percent of the cost with an incentive through NYSERDA's (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) Solar Electric Incentive Program.