New York state has approved a new community
\ninitiative enabling millions of New
\nYorkers to access clean and affordable
\nenergy for the first time.<\/p>\n
Shared Renewables provides opportunities
\nfor businesses, homeowners, low income
\nresidents, renters and schools to
\njoin together to set up shared renewable
\nenergy projects resulting in healthier and
\nstronger communities.<\/p>\n
“The Shared Renewables initiative will
\nhelp people and communities across the
\nstate save money on local clean energy
\nprojects,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “This
\nprogram is about protecting the environment
\nand ensuring that all New Yorkers,
\nregardless of their zip code or income,
\nhave the opportunity to access clean and
\naffordable power. Together, we will build a
\ncleaner and greener New York.”
\nState officials said renewable resources
\nare already providing massive economic
\nand environmental benefits across the
\nstate, with installed solar capacity having
\ngrown 300 percent between 2011 and 2014.<\/p>\n
Yet, many New Yorkers are still unable to
\nparticipate because they rent their home,
\nlive in an apartment building, or own properties
\nunsuitable for installing solar panels
\nor other clean energy technologies.<\/p>\n
Under the Shared Renewables initiative
\n(also referred to as community distributed
\ngeneration), customers can join together
\nto share in the benefits of local solar, wind,
\nand other renewable energy projects. Each
\nindividual member’s production would appear
\nas a credit on their monthly utility bill.<\/p>\n
The first phase of Shared Renewables will
\nfocus on promoting low-income customer
\nparticipation and installations in areas of
\nthe power grid that can benefit most from
\nlocal power production.<\/p>\n
“Democratizing the production of power
\nallows individuals and communities to take
\ncontrol of their energy future and realize the economic, social, and environmental
\nbenefits of solar and other renewable resources,”
\nsaid Richard Kauffman, chairman
\nof energy and finance for New York. “New
\nYork state is once again at the forefront
\nof progressive energy policy by empowering
\nmillions of our residents, schools, and
\nbusinesses to choose renewable power for
\nthe first time.”<\/p>\n
The REV initiative takes a proactive approach
\nto meet the challenges facing today’s
\npower sector by building a regulatory framework
\nto modernize the utility industry, to
\ncreate greater value for customers and
\nsupport new investment in clean energy.<\/p>\n
Public Service Commission Chairwoman
\nAudrey Zibelman said Shared Renewables
\nexpands consumer access to reliable, lowcost
\nelectricity generated from renewable
\nenergy facilities. It places customers who
\ndo not own homes on an equal footing with
\ntraditional single-home customers and creates
\nopportunities for low- and moderateincome
\nfamilies who don’t have access
\nto electricity generated from renewable
\nresources.<\/p>\n
Officials said during the first phase of
\nShared Renewables–Oct. 195 through April
\n30, 2016–projects will be limited to those
\nthat advance one of two specific REV goals:
\nsiting distributed generation in areas where
\nit can provide the greatest benefits to the
\nlarger power grid, or supporting economically
\ndistressed communities by ensuring
\nat least 20 percent of the participants are
\nlow- and moderate-income customers.<\/p>\n
Beginning May 1, 2016, a second phase
\nwill make shared renewable projects available
\nthroughout entire utility service territories,
\nofficials said.<\/p>\n
In addition, other REV principles can be
\napplied, such as aligning utility incentives
\nto fully support Shared Renewables projects
\nby allowing shared savings or revenues from emnew
\nbusiness models that facilitate projects
\nat lower costs. In addition to these changes,
\nthe Public Service Commission will immediately
\ncommence a collaborative to determine
\nhow to continue the encouragement
\nof low-income customer participation in
\ncommunity distributed generation during
\nthe second phase.<\/p>\n
State officials said customers interested
\nin the Shared Renewables initiative
\ncan participate in a number of ways. For
\ninstance, the residents of a condominium may want to join together for a shared solar
\nproject. They would need to find a “sponsor”
\nwho will be responsible for organizing the
\nproject on behalf of the residents. A sponsor
\ncould be a developer or even the residents
\nof the building banding together to form
\na legal entity such as a limited liability
\ncorporation, or LLC.<\/p>\n
To learn more about participating or to
\nsign up to receive assistance and resources
\nto take advantage of the program, visit www.ny-sun.ny.gov\/Community-Solar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New York state has approved a new community initiative enabling millions of New Yorkers to access clean and affordable energy for the first time. Shared Renewables provides opportunities for businesses, homeowners, low income residents, renters and schools to join…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":88,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[66,79,118],"yoast_head":"\r\n