The time is now to put New York on the path to a cleaner energy future. A clear ‘supermajority’ – 8 out of 10 New Yorkers – strongly support the growth of solar and clean energy in New York along with scores of businesses, labor, clean energy and environmental groups.
With less than three days left in the New York state legislative session, we are calling on the State Senate and Assembly to work with Governor Andrew Cuomo and pass the Clean Energy & Economic Revitalization Act of 2012. And you can help us by telling your NY State elected representatives that you want this good piece of legislation passed now!
Key benefits
- Over $2 billion in direct, local economic activity from project development.
- An average gain of 1,700 individual jobs each year through 2022 (17,000 job-years)
- 2,300 individual jobs supported in 2022—peak construction year
- High quality, local jobs related to project development and installation (direct jobs)
- Cleaner air in New York by reducing levels of notorious air pollutants—28,000 tons of Sulfur Dioxide, 14,200 tons of Nitrous Oxide and 51.6 tons of mercury
How it will work
The legislation includes critical policy that will ensure New York emerges as an innovative clean and renewable energy leader within this decade by growing its own world class solar industry. First and foremost, the bill will extend the fiscally-responsible NY-Sun Initiative announced earlier this spring by Governor Cuomo, which we estimate would result in approximately 2,200 MW of solar, and would provide the long-term commitment, certainty and scale necessary to establish a sustainable and robust solar industry in New York. Additional measures include the expansion of a state sales tax credit to cover leased systems and extension of a state sales tax exemption on commercial systems up to 2 MW, as well as clear and consistent terms and conditions on net energy metering compensation for utility customers who generate excess electricity from eligible 'small scale' renewable and clean energy technologies (e.g., solar, wind, farm biodigesters and advanced fuel cells) that is produced for the electricity grid. In sum, the Clean Energy & Economic Revitalization Act of 2012 will establish key policy to attract the solar industry to New York and help this local revenue- and job-producing industry to stand on its own, generating tremendous benefits for New Yorkers.