NY Governor Wants Zero-Carbon Electricity by 2040

A “politically easy” move or an ambitious target?

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that he will push for New York to transition to 100 percent clean electricity by 2040, in a statement outlining his agenda for early 2019. 

The announcement places New York in a small but growing group of states, including neighboring New Jersey, as well as California, Hawaii and most recently Washington, that have announced goals or legally committed to 100 percent clean energy.

New York and California Lead the Charge Against Climate Rule Rollbacks

Democratic-leaning states are readying for legal battles over the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle clean power and fuel economy rules.

New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood is preparing for battle against the Trump administration over its attempt to dismantle the Obama-era Clean Power Plan.

The Empire State, along with 26 Democratic state attorneys general, cities and counties, outlined its legal and policy rationale for opposing the Clean Power Plan replacement in public comments submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday — the deadline to weigh in on the Trump’s Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) proposal.

New York and California Lead the Charge Against Climate Rule Rollbacks

New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood is preparing for battle against the Trump administration over its attempt to dismantle the Obama-era Clean Power Plan.

The Empire State, along with 26 Democratic state attorneys general, cities and counties, outlined its legal and policy rationale for opposing the Clean Power Plan replacement in public comments submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday — the deadline to weigh in on the Trump’s Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) proposal.

New York Looks to Europe for Successful Offshore Wind Transmission Models

A New York Power Authority-led study will determine the most cost-effective means to build transmission for 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030.

New York state will look to the world leader in offshore wind deployment for advice on how to connect sea-based projects to mainland grids.

European nations have together installed nearly 16,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity. The United States has thus far managed just one 30-megawatt project, the Block Island Wind Farm, off Rhode Island.

New York State to Lead New Offshore Wind Energy Research Effort

The new group will be known as the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium. Officials say the group will be funded with an $18.5 million grant from the federal Department of Energy.

When launched, the group will bring together energy researchers, utility companies and other states to discuss ways to improve the development and utilization of offshore wind.

By 2030, the state plans to have 2.4 gigawatts of offshore wind, enough energy to power up to 1.2 million homes.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the state's involvement on Friday.

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Community Power State Scorecard Comparison — 2018 vs. 2017

Earlier this spring, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance released its 2018 Community Power State Scorecard, revealing the the best and worst states for local clean energy across the country.

Did many states improve on their 2017 score?

The latest rankings used a very similar methodology to last year’s interactive Community Power Map, notably increasing the points awarded for a state’s community or sharable renewable program and adding (or subtracting) points for the ease (or difficulty) of connecting to the grid under the state’s rules.

New York’s Plan to Bridge From Nuclear Power to Offshore Wind

With the Indian Point closure now set for 2021, the race is on for clean alternatives from Canadian hydro to DERs. Going big into offshore wind comes later.

Quickly moving from one energy source to another takes a lot of planning in advance. Just ask the state of New York.

On Monday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced an agreement to shut down the 2-gigawatt Indian Point nuclear power plant by 2021, several years ahead of schedule. Then, on Tuesday, he announced a grand plan to build 2.4 gigawatts of offshore windby 2030, starting with a 90-megawatt project off the coast of Long Island.

N.Y. Gets Green Light On 50% By 2030 Clean Energy Standard

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, D-N.Y., says that the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved the state’s clean energy standard, which will require 50% of New York’s electricity to come from renewable energy sources by 2030.

In its initial phase, utilities and other energy suppliers will be required to procure and phase in new renewable power resources: specifically, 26.31% of the state’s total electricity load in 2017 and 30.54% of the statewide total in 2021.

According to Cuomo, the clean energy standard will add less than $2 to the average residential customer’s bill each month.

New York State Assembly Passes ‘Most Ambitious’ Climate Bill in the Nation

New York’s Assembly passed a bill Wednesday that would require the state to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from major sources to zero by 2050. But is that good enough?

Thirty-four years is a long time to wait to fully address an emergency as urgent as climate change. A more aggressive bill sponsored by 17 representatives would require the state to transition to 100 percent clean, renewable energy by 2030. That’s 14 years from now and a full 20 years ahead of the plan just passed, putting the state’s agenda more in line with the more dire predictions of climate scientists.

Major NY Solar Bill Close to Becoming Law

Momentum is high for major solar legislation in New York State, but it’s a race to the finish to get it passed before lawmakers go home for the year.

Governor Cuomo launches a $30 million new energy efficient technology initiative

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the launch of a $30 million initiative to accelerate the market utilization of emerging, cutting-edge energy-efficiency technologies.

The Energy Efficiency Market Acceleration Program (EE-MAP) is being implemented by the New York Power Authority (NYPA). The program will fund research, market development activities and demonstration projects to help leverage investments and promote business development opportunities for emerging energy efficiency technologies. In July 2012, the NYPA Board of Trustees authorized $30 million for the EE-MAP initiative.

New York and California pass solar policies

The federal government may be dragging its feet when it comes to renewing or extending valuable US tax incentives for renewable energy projects, but states continue to adopt innovative policies.

The latest examples comes from New York, where the governor has signed a series of solar tax exemptions, and California, which is preparing to debate legislation that would help support development of community solar projects.

New York State Adopts Solar Tax Exemptions

In New York, Governor Cuomo approved a series of measures that will ease the tax burden for individuals and businesses investing in solar energy.

Long Island firms win NY solar funding bids

New York state has awarded $30 million in incentives to 16 developers, including at least two based on Long Island, to finance large-scale photovoltaic projects in New York City and the lower Hudson Valley.

The funding, to be used to develop 34 megawatts of solar power expected to go online as of next year, was awarded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority through Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative.

Island Park-based EmPower Solar CES and Southampton-based GreenLogic were awarded unspecified incentives in the forms of rebates to support projects. Mercury Solar Systems, which also has Long Island operations, also was approved for funding.

New York Governor signs 3 bills to spur Solar PV

Aiming to create green jobs and make solar energy more affordable for homes and businesses, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a series of bills into effect today, August 17.

Part and parcel of his administration’s NY-Sun initiative to foster solar and renewable energy development and growth across the state, Gov. Cuomo enacted legislation that introduces statewide tax credits for power purchase agreements (PPAs) and solar energy equipment, sales tax exemptions for commercial solar equipment, and an extension of the real property tax abatement for solar power installations in New York City, Capitol Confidential reported.

Manhattan Institute flunks energy policy 101

Last week, the Manhattan Institute issued a report that pretends to be a serious analysis of the impact of renewable energy on electricity prices. The report includes tables and numbers that purport to show that renewable energy produced dramatic increases in customers' electricity bills over the past decade. Yet it only takes a few minutes of close reading to realize that the data prove no such thing -- and that the author disregarded pertinent studies showing that the price impact of renewable energy has been minimal.

In "The High Cost of Renewable Electricity Mandates," Robert Bryce of the Manhattan Institute argues that states should suspend their renewable portfolio standards (RPSs), which require an increasing share of electricity to come from new renewable energy projects. As his primary argument for halting renewable energy development, Bryce proclaims that "our analysis of available data has revealed a pattern of starkly higher rates in most states with RPS mandates."

Court ruling may bring PACE back from the dead

By: Sarah Mier, Cleantech Law Partners

The PACE program, once a beacon of hope for property owners looking to scale the initial hurdle of upfront costs to install energy efficiency and upgrade retrofit programs, now has a shot of escaping termination. 


This savior comes in the form of a court ruling against the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The court alleges FHFA did not provide adequate notice to stakeholders before pulling the plug on the program. 

Environmental groups rally for NY ban on fracking

Health and environmental groups rallied at the Capitol on Monday to call for a legislative ban on hydraulic fracturing of natural gas wells, saying no amount of regulation can adequately safeguard water supplies from contamination.

"Fracking is the most important environmental issue this state has faced in the past 100 years," Sen. Tony Avella, sponsor of a bill to ban hydraulic fracturing, said at the rally in the Legislative Office Building next to the Capitol. "There is no possible regulation or series of regulations that can stop the one incident that pollutes our water supply for 1,000 years."

New York looks to focus on smart grid and renewables

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has ratified the Power NY Act, which is being applauded by both energy companies and environmental advocates as an unprecedented shift to renewable energy. In addition, New York Independent Systems Operator (NYISO), the nonprofit organization responsible for managing the state’s energy distribution revealed plans for a $74 million statewide Smart Grid initiative. Together, the Power NY Act and the new initiative will significantly reduce energy waste and promote renewable energy with consumers.

Wind power for the empire state building

The iconic Empire State Building, undergoing a multimillion-dollar green renovation, announced Thursday that it will buy wind power for all its electricity.The building, the world's tallest for four decades and still the tallest in New York City, will buy 100% wind power from Texas-based Green Mountain Energy Company.

"It was a natural fit for us to combine 100% clean energy with our nearly completed, groundbreaking energy efficiency retrofit work," Anthony E. Malkin, president of Malkin Holdings, which runs the building, said in the announcement. "Clean energy and our nearly 40% reduced consumption of watts and BTUs gives us a competitive advantage in attracting the best credit tenants at the best rents."