Poll: 'Supermajority' of New Yorkers Want Long-Term and Robust Solar Policy to Recharge Jobs and the Economy

Nearly nine out of ten New Yorkers (89% to be exact) say they support increasing the use of solar energy to meet New York power needs.  And almost nearly as many (85%) say they are willing to pay a little more for their electricity toward a more robust statewide investment in solar. New Yorkers understand a wise investment.

• Solar energy creates more jobs per megawatt installed than any other energy resource—7 times that of coal or natural gas. 3,000 megawatts of solar power would mean thousands of new jobs. Solar creates 13.7 jobs per $1 million dollars of spending on project development.

• Solar power investment will provide a hedge against some of the priciest and most polluting electricity in New York’s energy mix. Over 65 percent of New Yorkers currently live in counties where air pollution endangers lives.

In April, Governor Cuomo took a critical first step toward advancing solar investment in New York by launching his NY-Sun Initiative.  The NY-Sun Initiative relies on the three major public energy authorities in New York (the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)) to quadruple the amount of solar in New York by end of 2013, and ultimately achieve around 670 MW by 2015.

With a 'supermajority' backing from fellow New Yorkers, the timing couldn't be better for Albany to build off Governor Cuomo's NY-Sun blueprint and pass legislation that embodies the three critical policy objectives of longevity, certainty and scale that are needed to grow a truly standalone, world-class solar industry with thousands of potential new jobs right here in New York.