Six months after the legislature adopted an Energy Storage Deployment Program (“Storage Program”), Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law on November 29, 2017, signaling continued support for energy storage development in New York. The Storage Program − which will be subject to further modifications as described below − would amend the Public Service Law by requiring the New York Public Service Commission (“PSC” or “Commission”) and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (“NYSERDA”) to develop an energy storage deployment program to encourage the installation of qualified energy storage systems.
Continue Reading New York Sets the Stage for Energy Storage – Details to Be Developed in 2018 Public Service Commission Proceeding

Notwithstanding New York’s aggressive efforts to lead the way in renewable energy and carbon reduction, New York’s programs have been relatively anemic when it comes to encouraging energy storage. In 2015, New York launched the NY-Sun Commercial / Industrial Incentive Program, which offered performance-based incentives for large-scale solar photovoltaic (“PV”) systems, and provided a $50,000 additional incentive for projects that integrated energy storage. Most recently, the New York Public Service Commission adopted a mandate requiring that each individual New York utility deploy two separate energy storage projects at two separate substations or feeders by the end of 2018, which spurred the utilities to file a number of Requests for Proposals to address deficiencies on their networks.
Continue Reading NY Legislature Adopts Energy Storage Program to Address Peak Load and Intermittent Renewables: Legislation Would Require Storage Target by End of 2017

On June 1, 2017, New York Governor Cuomo, California Governor Brown and Washington State Governor Inslee declared their states’ commitment to the ideals of the Paris Climate Agreement (“Agreement”) by forming a United States Climate Alliance (“Alliance”). This action came in response to President Trump’s announcement earlier that day which stated the United States would immediately cease implementation of the Agreement which they joined in 2016. Governor Cuomo also issued an Executive Order which condemned President Trump’s decision as “an abdication of leadership” which “threatens the environmental and economic health of all New Yorkers.”
Continue Reading New York Announces Major Climate Policies in Response to President Trump: A Multi-State “Climate Alliance” and 40,000 Clean Energy Jobs Projected by 2020

On May 10, 2017, at the Independent Power Producers of New York (“IPPNY”) conference, Richard Kauffman, Chairman of Energy and Finance for New York, announced that John Rhodes has officially accepted his nomination to head the New York Public Service Commission (“PSC”) and that Governor Cuomo will soon nominate two more PSC commissioners so that the PSC can return to its full strength of five commissioners by the end of the legislative session, which is scheduled to close on June 21, 2017. Rhodes has been the president and CEO of the New York State Research and Development Authority (“NYSERDA”) since 2013, and previously directed the Center for Market Innovation at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Once confirmed, Rhodes will fill the seat vacated by former Chairman Audrey Zibelman, whose departure left the PSC with three vacant seats and gave rise to questions concerning whether the PSC has a quorum to make regulatory decisions.
Continue Reading PSC and FERC Returning to Full Strength: Agencies Set to Square Off on New York’s ZEC Program

It has been reported that Tom Congdon, Chief of Staff of the N.Y. Department of Public Service, has just been named Deputy Chair of the State’s Public Service Commission (“PSC”) by outgoing Chair Audrey Zibelman.

Congdon, who was Governor Cuomo’s Assistant Secretary for Energy for over four years, is considered to be strongly supportive of the Governor’s energy agenda.
Continue Reading Tom Congdon Named Deputy Chair of N.Y. Public Service Commission

The New York State Public Service Commission (“PSC”) recently issued an order that will shape New York’s energy portfolio for years to come. The Clean Energy Standard (“CES”), issued and effective August 1, 2016, is a bold initiative that mandates renewable energy supply 50 percent of the State’s electricity needs by 2030. New York seeks to achieve this goal by focusing on three major areas: (1) large utility scale solar, wind and other renewables; (2) offshore wind; and (3) subsidized nuclear power. The expectation is that by 2030, New York greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 40 percent from 1990 levels.
Continue Reading New York’s Clean Energy Standard and its Impact on the State’s Energy Portfolio

We previously reported on the Obama administration’s release of the final version of the Clean Power Plan (“Plan”), a set of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations designed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electric power generating plants. Under the Plan, states are responsible for developing individualized compliance policies by September 2016, with the ultimate goal of a 32% decrease from 2005 levels in carbon emissions from existing power plants by 2030.
Continue Reading Supreme Court Stays Clean Power Plan

In support of its commitment to increase the use of renewable energy resources to 50% by the year 2030, New York is creating a $5 billion Clean Energy Fund. As reported in Fortune Magazine, New York’s commitment to spend $5 billion over 10 years on infrastructure and clean energy related projects is a significant development, with the goal of leveraging an additional $29 billion in private investment. The framework for the plan, which has been in discussion for some time, was approved by the New York Public Service Commission on January 21, 2016. The fund will operate with four major components:
Continue Reading New York Rolls Out $5 Billion Clean Energy Fund