New York regulators on Thursday launched a review of multiple state clean energy programs, with a particular focus on energy efficiency and electrification efforts being made to aid low-income utility customers.
The New York State Public Service Commission said its review will include utility efforts under the New Efficiency: New York, or NENY, program as well as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Clean Energy Fund, or CEF. Combined, the two portfolios of energy programs represent nearly $10 billion of customer funding, the PSC said.
The commission directed Department of Public Service staff to develop a report assessing the energy efficiency and building electrification efforts to date, and to request information from stakeholders about how the programs need to evolve.
The energy programs support New York’s clean energy goals under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, or CLCPA, which requires the state to develop a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040 and to reach economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050.
“Energy efficiency has been a go-to resource and we need to continue to aggressively pursue this solution,” PSC Chair Rory Christian said in a statement. “As we look ahead to the level of ambition that CLCPA lays out for us, we need to assess all of our efforts to ensure funds are being directed strategically to advance our goals while ensuring services are provided to disadvantaged communities and low-income consumers.”
The PSC said it had previously committed to launch a formal interim review of NENY this year, and determined to also review CEF concurrently “given the close relationship” between their energy efficiency and building electrification aspects.
The commission statement said the first stage of the reviews will focus on energy efficiency and building electrification programs, “including efforts targeting low-to moderate-income customers and assess the state’s progress toward the NENY and CEF energy efficiency and building electrification targets and alignment with the CLCPA and other, related New York State clean-energy policy directives.”
Regulators also said their review would expand to consider NYSERDA’s Innovation & Research and New York Green Bank Portfolios after the authority provides performance summaries and other information that is due by July 2024.
