NYSERDA filed a petition with the Public Service Commission on November 25 to extend and expand the NY-Sun Program. Members of the New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) are encouraged by this action. Since 2014, NY-Sun has incentivized development of more than 1 GW_DC of solar energy projects, helping to drive investment in the New York solar market and transition the state to cleaner sources of energy.

The NYSERDA petition calls for an additional $573 million to support progress toward New York’s solar energy goal of 6 GW_DC by 2025. NYSEIA is especially encouraged by the focus on environmental justice, funding projects that benefit low- to moderate-income energy customers. The petition also improves energy access through customer education and greater support for community solar. Moreover, the inclusion of incentives for projects on landfills and brownfields should help put degraded lands back into productive use for the public good.

Taken together, these solar incentives will generate thousands of good-paying jobs in addition to providing cleaner energy and lower energy bills for New Yorkers. NYSERDA has taken care to craft a policy framework that ensures fair, transparent and effective use of public resources to navigate the state’s historic shift to renewable energy. While there are many details yet to be reviewed and discussed, NYSEIA hopes this petition will move forward swiftly.

“New York needs to massively accelerate its solar energy deployment over the next five years in order to meet the targets set by Governor Cuomo and specified in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act,” said NYSEIA executive director Shyam Mehta. “The policies detailed in the NYSERDA petition will go a long way toward achieving the Empire State’s ambitious goals and guaranteeing a fair and equitable clean energy future. NYSEIA looks forward to working with NYSERDA and the Public Service Commission on this petition and collaborating to meet New York’s bold solar energy and climate commitments.”

News item from NYSEIA