New York's Renewable Energy Task Force recently announced 16
recommendations as part of a roadmap to significantly increase
renewable energy generation in New York. These recommendations include
more solar energy production, funding the state's program to get 25
percent of New York's electricity from renewable energy by 2013, and
new business incentives targeted to attract renewable energy producers
and expand the state's "green collar" workforce.
The Renewable Energy Task Force was charged with identifying
barriers to increased production of renewable energy, recommending
policies and financial incentives to overcome those barriers, and
identifying future market areas where additional research and
development investment is necessary.
Recommendations Highlights
The task force recommends an eightfold increase in solar energy production by 2011
Significant recommendations of the task force's first report include:
- Developing eight times more solar photovoltaic energy generation in New York--more than 100 megawatts by 2011;
- Increasing the renewable energy supply in New York State to meet 25
percent of electricity demand by 2013, and fully funding the Renewable
Portfolio Standard to make it happen;
- Developing new business incentives to attract renewable energy
technology companies to New York in order to build industry clusters in
solar, wind, biomass and other technical areas;
- Changing the law to allow and encourage New York companies to
produce their own renewable energy "on site" and deliver excess power
back to the energy grid known as "net metering;"
- Developing and supporting a "green collar" workforce of skilled
labor to support renewable energy technology companies by coordinating
training programs, expanding and enhancing those programs as necessary,
and making training opportunities available to residents of
disadvantaged communities, minority- and women-owned companies, and
other small businesses.
Renewables Create Jobs
The task force set forth key data throughout the report
demonstrating that investment in renewable energy creates jobs and
increases tax revenues. Some examples include:
- Up to 43,000 new jobs in New York could be created by the renewable
energy production needed to meet the requirement that 25 percent of New
York's electricity come from renewable sources.
- Renewable energy and energy efficiency industries could create up
to 40 million jobs and generate up to $4.5 trillion in revenue in the
United States by 2030-a four-fold increase over current revenues.
- Over the next 20 years, $1 billion in economic benefits are
expected to result from the roughly $500 million that New York has so
far committed in renewable energy funding through the Renewable
Portfolio Standard-a 100 percent return on investment, not counting
economic spillover, multiplier effects, and environmental
quality-of-life gains from renewable energy production.
Businesses are encouraged to produce energy
on site from renewable sources
Taking immediate action on the task force's recommendations, Paul
Tonko, President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority (NYSERDA), indicated that NYSERDA would
immediately invest $4 million in green collar workforce initiatives, on
top of the $2 million in this year's Executive Budget and would also
establish a Wind Energy Research and Testing Center to develop new
technologies and provide workforce training.
DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said: "Clean energy is crucial on so
many fronts: energy conservation, pollution reduction, combating
climate change, and developing green businesses and jobs, just for
starters. The task force's recommendations will continue our leadership
on those issues. And, importantly, they will establish a roadmap to
stimulate renewable energy development in a way that is real and
tangible."
About the Renewable Energy Task Force
Composed of 20 members, the Renewable Energy Task Force represents a
diverse array of stakeholders in the renewable energy field, including
the renewable energy and alternative fuel industries, environmental and
agricultural communities, academia, public utilities, local and state
government entities, and experts in energy policy, green building
construction and economic development.
In September 2007, the task force held a public meeting in New York
City to release its preliminary findings. The findings were based on
recommendations developed by numerous task force subcommittees and
vetted using the following criteria: what would generate the most
renewable energy; what would have the most environmental benefit; and
what would least impact ratepayers, taxpayers and consumers financially.
The details of the task force's first report were reached by a
consensus of all of its members. Its final report is due in December
2008.
