NEWS RELEASE

Alliance for Clean Energy New York * Citizens Campaign for the Environment * Environmental Advocates of New York * Mainstream New York, Inc (MANY) * Network for New Energy Choices * New York Farm Bureau * New York Interfaith Power and Light * New York Public Interest Research Group * New York Solar Energy Industries Association * New York State Apollo Alliance * Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter * Solar One * Sun Edison, LLC * Sustainable Energy Developments * The Vote Solar Initiative *

Energy, Environmental, and Farm Advocates Join Together in Albany to Call for Renewable Energy Changes

Legislation expanding net metering will encourage homeowners, farmers and businesses to generate clean and green renewable energy.

Albany, NY - Clean energy advocates will converge on Albany Tuesday urging legislators to expand “net metering” for clean, green, homegrown energy generation.   “Net metering” allows a customer’s electric meter to “spin backwards,” providing a credit on their utility bill when their on-site renewable energy systems send unused power to the grid. Net metering is important to help solve the energy crisis and is a green collar jobs bill. Any time a New Yorker decides to install solar panels or wind power, they hire local professionals. Net metering, coupled with NYSERDA financing support for clean energy technologies, is a critical piece of the puzzle to advance New York State’s clean energy future and help grow the state’s green economy. 

“Net metering is about fairness, it is about economic development, and it is about the promotion of clean energy,” said Carol E. Murphy, Executive Director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACENY). “It is common sense for a state with the second highest energy costs in the nation to empower farmers and businesses to harvest clean renewable energy,” Murphy added. 

“Farmers are dedicated to providing the safest, highest quality food to consumers in New York State. They also are well positioned to be leaders in renewable energy production on the farm. Net metering legislation is greatly needed to better protect the environment and provide the agricultural industry with much-needed relief from ever increasing energy costs,” said Jeff Williams, Deputy Director of the Division of Public Policy for the New York Farm Bureau.

“We can’t control rising energy bills until we control our addiction to fossil fuels, and net metering is a necessary tool to help break this addiction,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE). “Energy independence starts at home, on the farm, and in our businesses, and it is imperative that the Legislature expand net metering now!” Esposito concluded. 

“It is our moral obligation to protect the earth’s climate and those vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and air pollution, so it is urgent to act now to increase clean, renewable energy generation,” said Nicola Coddington, Executive Director of New York Interfaith Power & Light. “We urge the legislature to expand net metering in this legislative session.”

“New York State's net metering program needs significant reform in order to achieve the necessary reductions in climate-altering carbon emissions and to maximize the job creation and economic development potential associated with manufacturing and installing clean energy systems like solar power and small wind generation,” said Bill Bastuk, NY State Apollo Alliance Steering Committee.

“Net metering expansion would be a catalyst for economic development and “green collar” job creation in New York. This landmark legislation would support local renewable energy businesses like SED, revitalize the upstate economy, and contribute to the nation’s campaign for energy independence. Net metering will allow New York to showcase itself as a national leader in locally produced renewable energy,” stated Kevin Schulte, Vice President of Business Development for Sustainable Energy Development (SED).

“When it comes to bringing clean energy to the people, there is no single policy more important than net metering. If financial incentives are the engines that drive renewable energy markets, then best in class net metering standards provide a smooth road to a cleaner economy,” said Shaun Chapman, East Coast Campaigns Director for The Vote Solar Initiative

“Our company has done over 20 large solar installations for our retail chain store clients just over the border in New Jersey, but unfortunately, not a single project here in New York,” said Fred Zalcman, Director of Regulatory Affairs for SunEdison, the nation’s largest solar energy services company. “New York’s restrictive net metering laws and a lack of financial incentives mean that our customers cannot take the same advantage of solar power to reduce their carbon footprint or hedge against skyrocketing electricity prices.”

“New York’s net metering laws are long overdue for an update. Expanding eligibility to include larger renewable systems, such as those sited at businesses and schools, will help New York meet our clean energy goals and result in real environmental and economic benefits,” said Jackson Morris, Air & Energy Program Associate, Environmental Advocates of New York. “Reforming New York's net metering laws will improve air quality, create green collar jobs, and reduce our contribution to climate change.” 

“In addition to air quality improvement and greenhouse gas reduction, solar power can also contribute significantly to grid security and economic development. There's no reason why New York should be lagging behind other states,” said Chris Neil, Advocacy Coordinator with Solar One. “New York should be leading, and expanding net-metering eligibility to commercial and industrial customers is a critically important step towards making solar viable in the Empire State.”        

“Currently, more than 100 companies in New York manufacture, distribute, sell or install products that use solar energy to produce electricity, heat buildings, and provide hot water. In 2007, they employed 500 workers and generated an estimated $75-$100 million in annual revenue,” said Christine Donovan, Executive Vice President of the New York Solar Energies Industry Association (NYSEIA). “Expanded net metering is essential to continued growth and expansion of the solar energy industry in New York State. NJ, PA, CT, and MD all have more generous net metering laws than NYS at this point in time.  New York will not attract new solar companies and may lose existing companies to nearby states, unless net metering legislation is reformed,” Donovan concluded. 

“New York’s net metering policy is the weakest in the Northeast, when we should be leading the nation,” said Laura Haight, senior environmental associate for the New York Public Interest Research Group. “With all the potential to harvest wind, solar, and other clean, renewable home-grown energy right here in New York, expanding the net metering program ought to be a slam-dunk for state lawmakers this year.”

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The Alliance for Clean Energy New York's mission is to promote the use of clean, renewable electricity technologies and energy efficiency in New York State, in order to increase energy diversity and security, boost economic development, improve public health, and reduce air pollution. www.aceny.org

Citizens Campaign for the Environment, supported by 80,000 members, empowers communities and advocates solutions to protect the environment and public health.  www.citizenscampaign.org

Environmental Advocates of New York is the state's government watchdog, holding lawmakers and agencies accountable for enacting and enforcing laws that protect our natural resources and safeguard public health. Environmental Advocates works alone and in coalitions and has more than 7,000 individual and 130 organizational members. www.eany.org

Mainstream New York Inc. (MANY) is a new breed of citizen activists from all walks of life, who believe in and support each citizen's right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. MANY’s mission is to make New York State an affordable, attractive place for residence, business and recreation. www.manycitizens.org

The Network for New Energy Choices’ mission is to promote policies that ensure safe, clean, and environmentally responsible energy options. www.newenergychoices.org

The New York Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, volunteer organization financed and controlled by families for the purpose of solving economic and public policy issues challenging the agriculture industry. www.nyfb.org

New York Interfaith Power & Light’s mission is to promote stewardship of the earth by faith communities through energy conservation and efficiency and through the use of renewable energy.  www.nyipl.org

The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) is the state’s largest consumer, environmental, and government reform advocacy organization.  www.nypirg.org

The New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) is a statewide non-profit membership and trade association dedicated solely to advancing the use of solar energy in New York State and to representing the New York solar industry.  NYSEIA's members consist of 100% of the solar companies doing business in NYS as well as multiple national and global businesses considering expanding into New York State.  www.nyseia.org

The New York State Apollo is an alliance of labor, business and environmental groups working to support the creation of green jobs in the emerging clean energy economy. www.apolloalliance.org

The Sierra Club is a non-profit, member-supported, public interest organization that promotes conservation of the natural environment through public education and lobbying. The Atlantic Chapter, now more than 40,000 members strong, applies the principles of the national Sierra Club (over 700,000 members) to the environmental issues facing New York State. www.newyork.sierraclub.org

Solar One, New York City’s first solar-powered “Green Energy, Arts, and Education Center,” inspires New Yorkers to become environmentally responsible city dwellers by empowering people of all ages with the vision, knowledge and resources to attain a more environmentally sound and sustainable future. www.solar1.org

SunEdison LLC is North America's largest solar energy services provider. SunEdison provides solar generatedenergy at prices that are competitive with current retail utility rates to a broad and diverse client base of commercial, municipal and utility customers. www.sunedison.com

Sustainable Energy Developments, Inc. (SED) is a full service developer of decentralized wind energy projects and now developing distributed wind projects with businesses, municipalities, residences, schools, and farms throughout the Northeast. www.sed-net.com

The Vote Solar Initiative is a non-profit organization with the mission of stopping global warming and increasing energy independence by bringing solar energy into the mainstream. www.votesolar.org