Rooftop solar (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)

In 1883, Charles Fritts coated selenium with a thin layer of gold on a New York City rooftop to create a current activated by exposure to light, and thus thefirst solar panel was born. Though it achieved an energy conversion rate of just 1 to 2%, his work spurred the beginning of

Rooftop solar (photo: Ethan Geringer-Sameth)

It was a small world on the roof of a five-storey co-op in West Harlem where Michael Anglin, the building’s treasurer, was showing off its solar panels.

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and a team from his office were touring the configuration to understand what went into installing it in the heavily-regulated city, considered by industry insiders to be one of the hardest markets in the world to erect solar panels. Also there was Rit Aggarwala, Lander's long-time associate

Solar panel installation (SolarCity)

Let’s start with the good news.

Solar energy is growing and more popular than ever.

The amount of solar energy installed in the United States has quadrupled since 2010, generating enough energy to power 1 in 20 American homes.

In 2016, the United States witnessed its millionth solar installation and the industry expects to hit 2 million solar installations in just the next two years.

All this growth in solar power brings tangible benefits to local communities across New York.
Environmentally, solar