The power sector in New York City has become significantly cleaner in recent years, but a fundamental reconfiguration is required to achieve a deep reduction in GHG emissions...In 2014, the City committed to supporting this growth by setting a target of 250 megawatts (MW) for private sector solar capacity and 100 MW for solar capacity on public buildings by 2025. These targets were outlined in One City: Built to Last, Mayor de Blasio’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent from a 2005 baseline by 2025 from almost a million buildings in New York City. (NYC Sustainability)

We are invested in bringing sustainable, clean, affordable, simple energy solutions to New York City Residents. Thanks to NY State initiatives residents no longer need to install solar panels to take advantage of solar energy,  and NY property-owning residents can contribute to the solar energy fund available to all residents by having solar infrastructure installed on their roofs while receiving property tax abatements. Knowledge and expertise informed by years of experience in finance along with navigating NYC real-estate and energy laws & initiatives and managing private and commercial real-estate assets prepares us for the task of capitalizing on these incentives to bring alternative and sustainable energy sources to NYC residents.  

Our strong foundation in the finance, real-estate and energy sectors allows us to focus on leveraging these initiatives to the advantage of all community members throughout the five boroughs. We offer opportunities to both purchase solar energy from our fund via Con-Ed and collaborate in the manufacturing of solar energy for resale via Con-Ed by installing and managing solar energy infrastructure on residential rooftops.  Data shows that the ‘soft costs’ (Permitting, Zoning, Interconnection, Financing Options and Customer Education and Acquisition) add up to as much as 64% of the cost of installing solar (Sustainable CUNY).

By partnering with regional energy providers and experts in solar installation we are here to assume the initial burden of those soft-costs  and assimilate the complex legal and logistical process on behalf of the community.  Our entire team lives and works in the NYC area, this initiative is deeply tied to creating a sustainable and healthy environment and viable future for ourselves, our families and our own community members. We are New Yorkers advocating for New Yorkers with an awareness that this has a far reaching global impact. 

Gotham Community Solar Founder & CEO

Peter W. Davidson

Peter Davidson is a leading expert in mission-driven investments in clean energy and other climate infrastructure – and how to scale catalytic funding to tackle global climate challenges. He has led the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO), which was instrumental in financing the first utility-scale solar and electric vehicle manufacturing projects in the United States, among other groundbreaking investments.

He now serves as Co-Founder, CEO, and Board Member of Aligned Intermediary, whose members are institutional investors from around the world. His perspective reflects his career as a government official, entrepreneur, investment banker and philanthropist, and tackling these issues at the international, national, regional and state levels.  as Co-founder, Board member, and CEO of the Aligned Intermediary (AI), an investment advisory group created to help long-term investors (LTIs) channel significant amounts of institutional capital into climate infrastructure investments including clean energy, water infrastructure, and waste-to-value projects.

Prior to AI, Peter was the Executive Director of the Loan Programs Office (LPO) at the U.S. Department of Energy. Appointed to that position by President Obama in May 2013, he oversaw the program’s more than $30 billion portfolio of loans and loan guarantees, making it the largest project finance organization in the U.S. government. Among the many clean energy projects supported by his office were the first new nuclear power facility to be built in the U.S. in 30 years and the nation’s first-ever commercial-scale offshore wind facility.

David Sweeny

Senior Finance Advisor

David Sweeny is president of PDS development Corporation, a commercial real estate development company responsible for the acquisition and management of over 1,000,000 ft.² of industrial and commercial property in New York City.  David Sweeny has also completed a variety of assignments for non-profit and government entities and philanthropic organizations, including affordable housing and education facilities projects and policy and finance advisory services for Hartford Regional Growth Counsel, the New York State Urban Development Corporation, Pratt Institute and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Prior to launching PDS development Corporation, David Sweeney was founder and CEO of the Greenpoint manufacturing and design center, New York City’s first and largest not-for-profit industrial real estate development company. While at GM DC,Sweeny deployed the largest commercial solar installation in New York City.  His work has been recognized with awards from Ernst and Young, Cranes 40 Under 40 and Architects, Designs and Planners for Social Responsibility. 

Mariusz Cwalina

Director of Design and Construction

Mariusz Cwalina has 25 years of experience in building design and construction, having overseen the gut rehabilitation and repositioning of over one dozen large-scale industrial properties which together comprise over one million square feet.  Cwalina specializes in the reclamation of older industrial properties which require complex, creative, multi-stage restoration.  Cwalina is a co-founder of CWN Management LLC, with Naklicki, and is also a owner and investor in a multi-property portfolio which he oversees which is valued at over $80 million.  In addition to advanced training in design and engineering in Poland, Mariusz Cwalina has acquired multiple property management and life safety certifications.  In the 1990s, Cwalina was Construction Director for Greenpoint manufacturing and design center.  He has also completed a handful of key construction management assignments for non-profit and institutional organizations engaged in the development and construction of high-profile educational and recreational facilities.