Sourcing Renewables  -  October 21, 2020

New York expands Clean Energy Standard to increase RE generation

Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York announced Oct. 15 the expansion of the state’s Clean Energy Standard by the New York State Public Service Commission to grant the state authority to issue a Request for Proposals for new renewable power generation sources.

The expansion of the standard will refocus the existing regulatory and procurement structure laid out in the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which established a 70% renewable electricity by 2030 mandate and codifies the pursuit of a zero-emission power sector in New York by 2040. This new expansion also sees to the CLCPA requirement that the state increases the use of offshore wind from 2,400 MW by 2030 to 9,000 MW by 2035.

"We do not have time to waste in the fight against climate change and New York continues to lead by advancing the most aggressive policies in the nation to slow the warming of the planet," Gov. Cuomo said in a statement. "With this expansion of our Clean Energy Standard, we are further accelerating the State's historic efforts to grow our onshore and offshore renewable capacity, and create thousands of good-paying clean energy jobs for New Yorkers that will power our economic recovery, while also ensuring a large share of the benefits go to communities and workers that have been historically disadvantaged."

This new initiative approved by the PSC identifies annual procurement targets for the Tier 1 large-scale renewable energy program and recommends changes to its procurement processes while creating a new methodology for extending Tier 1 renewable energy eligibility to renewable energy facilities that undergo repowering. A new Tier 4 program will be established under the Clean Energy Standard to specifically value environmental attributes associated with renewable energy delivered to New York City.

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