Date: 2024-04-29 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00015039
Sustainability Initiatives
US State Level
New York State Aims for New, Ambitious Energy Goals
Burgess COMMENTARY
Peter Burgess
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced an ambitious acceleration of energy efficiencyin New York, including a comprehensive plan to achieve a new target for significant greenhouse gas emission reductions, decrease consumer energy costs and create job opportunities. Meeting the new energy efficiency target will deliver nearly one-third of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed to meet New York’s climate goal of 40% reduction by 2030.
“Energy efficiency is the most cost-effective way for New Yorkers to lower utility bills, curb harmful emissions and battle climate change,” Governor Cuomo said. “As the federal government abdicates its responsibility to safeguard our environment, we must continue our bold action to reduce emissions and protect all New Yorkers, today and in the future, from the devastating effects of climate change.”
“We’re aggressively working to make New York more energy efficient with unprecedented goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change,” Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said. “The strategies to make our state cleaner and greener will result in high-tech jobs for New Yorkers with investments in workforce development. The focus on energy efficiency will not only enhance the environment and create new jobs, it will also lower energy costs for residents and boost the energy economy.”
Statewide, New Yorkers pay about $35 billion annually for electricity and heating fuels, and buildings are responsible for 59% of statewide greenhouse gas emissions. The new 2025 energy efficiency target will cut emissions and energy costs by incentivizing building developers, commercial and institutional building owners, and residential households to pursue building improvements to reduce energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs below forecasted energy use in 2025. Meeting the target will accelerate achievement of energy efficiency in the next 7 years by more than 40% over the current path. The new energy efficiency target will not only save substantial heating fuels but will set New York State on a path to achieve annual electric efficiency savings of 3% of investor-owned utility sales in 2025.
The initiative will support the growth of cost-effective private sector energy efficiency businesses and further Reforming the Energy Vision opportunities for third-parties to partner directly with utilities. These strategies will deliver benefits to New York consumers through new building retrofits, efficient appliances, and innovative technologies like heat pumps. New York’s investor-owned utilities will also be called on to achieve significantly more in both scale and innovation through their energy efficiency activities.
By accelerating innovation to deliver energy efficiency solutions, New York will cut emissions by cost-effectively reducing electricity and building fuel demand across the state. This initiative will support the Clean Energy Standard mandate to generate 50% of the state’s electricity through renewable energy sources by 2030 and build on New York’s national leadership on clean energy and climate change. The new efficiency goal will also add jobs.
“The clean energy industry is where the jobs of the future will be created, and thanks to Governor Cuomo, New York is on the cutting edge,” said State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon. “By investing in clean energy sources, New York is leading the way towards a greener and more prosperous future. In New York, we don’t wait for others to lead, we act. Our State’s economic growth is undeniable and the Governor understands that to maintain it, we must act boldly and that’s exactly what this acceleration plan achieves.”