CITIZENS CAMPAIGN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
ACTION ALERT!

Tell the NYS Legislature to Support Clean, Green & Homegrown Energy by Expanding Net Metering Now!

To achieve clean energy goals, New York must update the state’s net metering laws.

What is net metering? Net metering is the policy that allows electric ratepayers to receive credit at market rates for renewable energy generated on site. Net metering provides incentives for customers to generate clean, renewable energy and helps reduce dependence on polluting fossil fuels and contributions to climate change.

How does net metering work? When customers generate more energy than they need from solar panels, wind turbines, or farm waste digesters, net metering allows for excess energy to be sold back to the utility company. This not only allows the customer to make money, it also allows for more renewable energy to enter the electric grid, making it available to displace fossil fuels.

Currently, not all customers (e.g. businesses, municipalities, and non-profits) are eligible for net metering. Additionally, homeowners and farmers currently have low limits on the amount of renewable energy eligible for net metering, hampering the economic feasibility of installing these critical clean, renewable energy options. The New York legislature must expand net metering to include solar, wind, and farm waste digesters and raise the limit to 2 megawatts (2MW).

Net metering makes sense.
New York’s limits on net metering do not!

Why net metering?
Burning fossil fuels for electricity has contributed to premature deaths and massive environmental degradation, and is damaging our economic security. Expanding net metering to 2 megawatts (2MW) for wind, solar, and farm waste electricity generation provides multiple benefits to every New Yorker including:

• Creation of green collar jobs for research, manufacturing, construction, installation, and maintenance;
• For example, every 2 MW of installed solar supports 16 local jobs.
• Investment of New York energy dollars in New York;
• Environmental and public health benefits, including improved water and air quality and reduction of childhood asthma; and
• Increased farmland viability by enabling New York farms to produce on-the-farm electricity.

New York has one of the most restrictive net metering laws in the Northeast! This restrictive law must be replaced with a law that encourages all electricity users to generate clean, green, and homegrown energy to reduce energy bills and pollution. With a restrictive net metering law, the burgeoning clean energy industry is already locating businesses and jobs in neighboring states with fewer barriers to net metering.

Call Your State Senator at (518) 455-2800 and your Assemblymember at (518) 455-4100 and tell them:
You support expanding Net Metering to 2 Megawatts for wind, solar, and farm waste generation.

Calling Tips:

1. Ask to speak to your Assemblyperson or Senator. If they are unavailable, leave a message with the receptionist.
2. Tell them you want NY to expand the net metering law to 2MW for wind, solar, and farm waste digesters.
3. Give them your name, address, and zip code.
4. If you do not speak to your Assemblyperson or Senator, tell the receptionist you would like a response in writing from your representative.
5. Thank whomever you speak with for their time.

Please forward a copy of any response you receive to CCE’s Farmingdale office at 225A Main St., Farmingdale, NY 11735. It helps us track progress on the issue.

Thank you for taking action. Together we make a difference!

Sincerely,

YOUR FRIENDS AT CCE