To: John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA, Valerie S. Milonovich, Senior Counsel, NYSERDA, Janet Joseph, Vice President for Technology & Strategic Planning, Richard Kauffman, NYS Chairman of Energy and Finance, Peter Keane, Deputy Gener...
Renew New York Funding for On-Site Wind Power
I urge you to renew the incentive program that promotes local wind energy projects in the Empire State. NYSERDA's on-site wind program, slated to sunset at the end of this year, is responsible for creating a thriving market for family farmers and rural communities that install distributed wind turbines.
Continued success in New York–the birthplace of wind turbine leasing–is vital for on-site wind to reach the economies of scale and cost reductions needed to compete. Wind turbines installed for on-site use help to diversify energy supply, improve grid resiliency, reduce carbon emissions, and leverage consumer investments to build infrastructure and the economy.
NYSERDA can sustain on-site wind's upswing and further drive down costs through a renewed on-site program that is carefully crafted to improve siting, expedite permitting, and advance financing. NYSERDA funding to assist towns implement Unified Wind Permits with employee training and legal review could also significantly accelerate deployment. This supplement and renewal of customized capital on-site wind rebates is needed to avoid disruption of this important market segment.
Continued success in New York–the birthplace of wind turbine leasing–is vital for on-site wind to reach the economies of scale and cost reductions needed to compete. Wind turbines installed for on-site use help to diversify energy supply, improve grid resiliency, reduce carbon emissions, and leverage consumer investments to build infrastructure and the economy.
NYSERDA can sustain on-site wind's upswing and further drive down costs through a renewed on-site program that is carefully crafted to improve siting, expedite permitting, and advance financing. NYSERDA funding to assist towns implement Unified Wind Permits with employee training and legal review could also significantly accelerate deployment. This supplement and renewal of customized capital on-site wind rebates is needed to avoid disruption of this important market segment.
Why is this important?
Upstate and Western New York in particular have great wind resources, with many farmers, homeowners, and business owners wanting to invest in small-scale wind energy systems to reduce their electric bills and lower their operating costs. Continued state support for wind turbines producing power for on-site use is in the best interests of New York ratepayers in order to sustain a thriving local market for clean energy.
The current New York on-site wind incentive, the leading program in the nation helping the distributed wind market turn the corner with rapid uptake, sunsets at the end of 2015. As part of New York's Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) process, NYSERDA is reorienting its funding programs and looking to pool funds to foster replication.
Many of the REV initiatives – such as community net metering, community choice aggregation, valuing distributed generation in new utility tariffs, and demonstration projects – could provide new exciting opportunities for the distributed wind industry in New York. However, an immediate transition into a new funding model with unique program mechanics may cripple an industry that has begun to grow exponentially over the past two years, and particularly over the past 6 months.
Five years from now, with the REV changes in place, NYSERDA will be in a better position to craft a technology-neutral program for the non-solar DG programs, and the New York distributed wind industry will have gained meaningful economies of scale and cost reductions and be in a position to exist in a post-subsidy world.
Please add your name to support recommendations of the Alliance for Clean Energy NY and Distributed Wind Energy Association that NYSERDA renew funding to extend tailored incentives and customized support for on-site wind projects for an additional 5 years.
Note: If appropriate, please include your company name in the petition sign-on's comment field.
The current New York on-site wind incentive, the leading program in the nation helping the distributed wind market turn the corner with rapid uptake, sunsets at the end of 2015. As part of New York's Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) process, NYSERDA is reorienting its funding programs and looking to pool funds to foster replication.
Many of the REV initiatives – such as community net metering, community choice aggregation, valuing distributed generation in new utility tariffs, and demonstration projects – could provide new exciting opportunities for the distributed wind industry in New York. However, an immediate transition into a new funding model with unique program mechanics may cripple an industry that has begun to grow exponentially over the past two years, and particularly over the past 6 months.
Five years from now, with the REV changes in place, NYSERDA will be in a better position to craft a technology-neutral program for the non-solar DG programs, and the New York distributed wind industry will have gained meaningful economies of scale and cost reductions and be in a position to exist in a post-subsidy world.
Please add your name to support recommendations of the Alliance for Clean Energy NY and Distributed Wind Energy Association that NYSERDA renew funding to extend tailored incentives and customized support for on-site wind projects for an additional 5 years.
Note: If appropriate, please include your company name in the petition sign-on's comment field.