FEDERAL CLEAN POWER PLAN WILL CREATE NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES

ALBANY, NY (08/03/2015)(readMedia)-- The Alliance for Clean Energy New York issued the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency's final rule for carbon emissions from the electric power sector:

"With the Clean Power Plan now final, New York will need to continue positioning clean energy technologies, like wind and solar, as the centerpiece of the modern electricity grid," said Anne Reynolds, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY). "The EPA's new rule underscores the critical need for New York to develop a new long-term program to promote large-scale renewables, especially since our current Renewable Portfolio Standard program expires this year. It also highlights the importance of all New York is doing to support clean distributed generation. By making use of renewable energy and energy efficiency, New York will be able to lower costs and pollution, improve reliability, and comply with this new EPA rule. ACE NY and its member companies stand ready to help state regulators develop a plan that meets the EPA's target for New York and improves electric power service for business and residential customers at the same time."

Background:

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final rule for carbon emissions from existing power plants under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act, commonly referred to as the Clean Power Plan (CPP). The CPP sets state-by-state targets for emission reductions, but allows states to develop their own compliance plans. The state targets are based on what EPA determined to be the "best system of emission reduction" (BSER). In the final rule, EPA based the BSER on state-specific potentials for emission reductions on a set of "Building Blocks" that include both traditional smokestack controls as well as "beyond the fence line" measures. Although emission rate targets are set by the building blocks, there is no requirement that states use those specific measures for compliance.

The CPP presents an opportunity for states to modernize and upgrade their electricity systems by allowing them to draw from a range of advanced energy technologies and services, including energy efficiency, demand response, energy service company (ESCO) projects, wind, solar, smart grid, fuel cells, biogas and biomass, and transmission and distribution system efficiencies. Used together, these technologies and services create and maintain a high-performing energy system-one that is reliable and resilient, diverse, cost-effective, and clean-while also enabling new customer services.

As a participant in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), New York has already made great strides in reducing the pollution that causes climate change. Compliance with the new EPA regulations should serve as added motivation to ensure we aggressively pursue development of homegrown clean energy resources like wind and solar, which are already working to deliver emissions reductions and economic benefits.

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About the Alliance for Clean Energy New York:

The 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