ACE NY Joins Senator Charles Schumer in Call to Support On-Site Clean Energy

ALBANY, NY (08/06/2012)(readMedia)-- Today members and representatives of Alliance for Clean Energy New York, a statewide coalition dedicated to promoting clean energy and energy efficiency technologies, joined US Senator Charles Schumer in a call for improvements to New York's regulatory mechanisms for on-site renewable energy generation, particularly targeting the need to raise limits on utilities' net metering programs.

"We commend Senator Schumer for taking up this cause and supporting New York's clean energy economy," said Carol E. Murphy, executive director of Alliance for Clean Energy New York. "Successful policies like net metering have been a driving force for growth in the solar and small wind industries, and letting them become entangled in red tape threatens to undermine the opportunities for increased investment and new jobs."

New York's net metering law allows customers with an on-site renewable energy system to receive credits on their utility bills for any unused power supplied by the system to the electric grid. These systems provide customers with stable-priced clean power while supporting local businesses and green job creation. Utilities benefit from net metering by having reduced stress on the grid at times of peak demand. Without net metering, the financial attractiveness of investing in on-site clean power generation is severely reduced.

Each of the regulated utilities under the jurisdiction of the NYS Public Service Commission (PSC) has a cap on net-metered systems set by statute that the Commission can raise. In July, Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation surpassed its 12-megawatt limit on net-metered systems and issued a brief moratorium on its net metering program, which was lifted on August 3 while awaiting formal rulemaking by the Commission.

"We are pleased that Central Hudson has voluntarily elected to continue its net metering program, but the issue remains that customers and installers in every utility territory need long-term assurances," added Ms. Murphy. "Many renewable energy installers are small, local businesses that cannot survive without a continuous stream of projects, and a disruption of several months may very well drive some of them out of business."

"Considering that increasing the use of on-site renewable energy is necessary if we are to meet the State's clean energy goals, especially those of the customer-sited tier of the Renewable Portfolio Standard and Governor Cuomo's new NY-Sun program, crucial policies like net metering cannot have a start-and-stop nature. We need to anticipate growth and allow this industry to reach its full potential."

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About ACE NY

Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) is a broad coalition dedicated to promoting clean energy, energy efficiency, a healthy environment, and a strong economy for the Empire State, and is New York's premier advocate for the rapid adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. www.aceny.org