New York Steps up Energy Efficiency and Storage Targets

Governor Cuomo has announced a dramatic increase in New York State’s energy efficiency and battery storage targets.

In a bid to tackle climate change more quickly, the New York State Public Service Commission has approved the initiatives, which will aim to more than double utility energy efficiency progress by 2025 and set the state on a trajectory to build 1.5GW of storage by 2025, storing enough electricity to power 1.2 million homes, moving up to 3GW by 20.

The efficiency target is expected to reduce the state’s energy consumption by the equivalent of fuelling and powering 1.8 million homes through building retrofits, upgrades to heating and cooling equipment and innovative technologies like heat pumps.

The Commission has required a minimum of 20% of any additional levels of public investment in energy efficiency to be dedicated to the low and moderate-income sector, promoting equal access to clean, affordable energy.

The energy storage goal aims to enable renewable resources to meet periods of peak demand. Achieving the 2025 energy storage target will produce $2 billion (£1.6bn) in gross lifetime benefits to New Yorkers by reducing the reliance on “costly, dirty and inefficient” energy infrastructure.

The Commission order also directs the State’s six major electric utilities to hold competitive procurements for 350MW of large-scale energy storage systems.

Governor Cuomo said: “As the federal government continues to ignore the real and imminent dangers of climate change, New York is aggressively pursuing clean energy alternatives to protect our environment and conserve resources.

“These unprecedented energy efficiency and energy storage targets will set a standard for the rest of the nation to follow, while supporting and creating jobs in these cutting-edge renewable industries.”