Groundwork Hudson Valley’s Science Barge, the off-the-grid floating environmental education center on the Hudson River, will celebrate its reopening to the public on July 17, 2021, beginning at noon, at 99 Dock Street, in Yonkers.

While the barge had limited public operations due to the coronavirus, Groundwork took the opportunity to make upgrades in accordance with technological advancements in solar and wind power, with funding from the City of Yonkers. It now has more than 20 new solar panels from Brooklyn Star Works and three new wind turbines from Primus Wind Power, all of which are state-of-the-art.

The Science Barge has been in Yonkers since 2008. It grows an abundance of fresh produce with zero net-carbon emissions, zero pesticides and zero runoff. All the energy needed to power the barge is generated by solar panels, wind turbines and biofuels, while the hydroponic greenhouse is irrigated solely by collected rainwater and purified river water.

Its growing systems are currently up and running with new tower gardens. It will be growing peppers, tomatoes, herbs, okra and its newest addition, mushrooms. The harvest will serve the Yonkers YWCA along with food-insecure residents in the community.

The barge’s sustainability education team has also completed an array of new interactive lesson plans, which have been delivered to thousands of public school students throughout the shutdown.

For more info, visit GroundworkHV.org.