12.17.21 - Governor Hochul Announces New Framework to Achieve at Least 10 Gigawatts of Distributed Solar By 2030
' Enough to Annually Power Nearly 700,000 Additional New York Homes
Proposes Comprehensive Roadmap to Expand State’s Successful NY-Sun Initiative and Increase Access to Solar for New Yorkers
Expected to Spur Approximately $4.4 billion in Private Investments, Create 6,000 Additional Solar Jobs - With First Prevailing Wage for Projects Above 1 MW - With a Goal to Deliver 40 percent of Benefits for Statutorily-Defined Disadvantaged Communities and Low- to Moderate- Income New Yorkers
Supports State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Goal to Generate 70 Percent of State’s Electricity from Renewables by 2030
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a framework for the State to achieve at least ten gigawatts of distributed solar by 2030, enough to annually power nearly 700,000 homes. The roadmap, submitted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) to the Public Service Commission for public comment and approval, proposes a comprehensive strategy to expand the state’s successful NY-Sun initiative into one of the largest and most inclusive solar programs of its kind in the nation, helping to increase access to solar for more New Yorkers. In addition to spurring approximately $4.4 billion in private investment and creating 6,000 additional solar jobs across the state – including with the State’s first application of prevailing wage for solar projects between one and five megawatts – the program expansion will also deliver at least 35 percent of the benefits with a goal of 40 percent from the investments to statutorily-defined disadvantaged communities and low-to moderate- income New Yorkers. Today’s announcement supports the State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act) mandate to generate 70 percent of the state’s electricity from renewables by 2030 as part of a resilient and equitable transition to a clean energy economy.
“In New York, we recognize the time to act on climate change is now — we simply cannot wait as we have seen the impacts of this crisis devastate our communities, our businesses, and our economy,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “Strengthening our commitment to solar energy will help build healthier, more resilient communities while catalyzing quality, good paying new jobs in this thriving sector of our clean energy economy.”
NYSERDA and DPS carefully evaluated multiple strategies to deploy ten gigawatts or more of distributed solar — projects that are under five megawatts in size, including rooftop installations and community solar projects — by 2030 and determined that extending the State’s successful NY-Sun initiative provides the most efficient, familiar, and cost-effective path forward. Achieving the state’s expanded solar goal is expected to generate enough clean electricity per year to power nearly 700,000 additional New York homes, including those in disadvantaged communities.'