Resident of New York state are likely to benefit significantly from clean solar power in the coming years judging from the strong response it is receiving in the form of proposals for new projects.

According to the New York Power Authority (NYPA), it recently received 43 proposals to develop up to 100 megawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity, which would mark a fivefold increase in the state's current resources.

The authority issued a request for proposals in January for distributed solar energy systems with an output that would be sufficient to power about 15,000 typical homes.

"The overwhelming response that we received from the solar power industry puts this project on a solid footing, with the initial solar installations expected to begin later this year," said NYPA President Richard M. Kessel.

Kessel also noted that New York Governor David Paterson has set a goal for the state to derive 45 percent of its electricity from energy efficient and renewable resources by the year 2015. The current effort is said to be the largest solar energy project in the state's history.